Matt Maynard to join Big Bike Ride 2 There will be an unexpected local angle to the Big Bike Ride 2 for Somerset’s director of cricket Matt Maynard when it stops off in Taunton in October. The event aims to raise a six figure sum for the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust and Tom Maynard Trust – the charity set up in memory of Matt’s late son – and will cover 400 miles in five days from Truro in Cornwall to the Kia Oval. The first Big Bike Ride in 2013 raised more £ 200,000 for the two charities but Maynard had not started work with Somerset when planning for this year’s event began. He took charge at Taunton late last year and will be joined on Big Bike Ride 2 by Somerset captain Marcus Trescothick and county chief executive Guy Lavender, both of whom took part two years ago, along with Simon Lee, the head groundsman at Taunton. A fund-raising dinner will also be held at the County Ground in Taunton on October 10 after the riders have completed the second leg of their journey from Instow in north Devon. ” It was a really incredible event two years ago and quite emotional at times,” Maynard said. ” Thanks to the PCA and Ali Prosser and Jason Ratcliffe for organising the event again. ” I didn’t know I was going to be here in Taunton when we started to organise it, so it’s a bit of co-incidence. ” But coming through the country here before we go on to Hampshire, Sussex and then on to Surrey we will cover some area that we haven’t covered before so hopefully we will get some good support. ” It’s an amazing motivator. You see a group a people who don’t know that much about each other and they spend a day in the saddle and you see relationships forming and people getting on. That is what it is all about. ” It’s mentally and physically tough but the camaraderie that forms is incredible. You know it’s going to be hard work but people get on with it. It’s a great adventure and it’s raising money for two great causes.” Maynard, Trescothick and Lavender will be among 65 riders who will complete all five legs of Big Bike Ride 2 along with 2005 Ashes winners Steve Harmison, Michael Vaughan and Andrew Flintoff. Places for individual legs of Big Bike Ride 2 are still available. ” Having been on the first Big Bike Ride it was a great experience and it also raised an enormous amount of money for the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust and the Tom Maynard Trust which are two really important organisations and charities. I was keen to support Matt and the fund-raising efforts of the PCA,” Lavender said. {{ak_sharing}}
