Uphill Castle Cricket Club has made a new signing in the form of overseas player Tom Churchward in February this year. Churchward, originally from Cairns, North Queensland in Australia, has a degree in Maths and Science from the University of Queensland. After the Castle showed interest, he signed up through the cricket exchange program earlier this year. His big hitting displays have helped the Castle move to the top of Somerset Division One table with five consecutive wins.
Churchward recently picked up his first century, scoring 160 not-out against Wedmore to maintain Uphill’s unbeaten start to the season. Speaking about his time at the club, Churchward praised the sense of community that exists at Uphill Castle, something he feels is more prominent in English cricket than in Australia. He has also found it easy to adjust to life in Weston despite the differences from his hometown.
Churchward is currently on a year-long break from his studies in Australia and is staying with the family of the team’s captain. His strong performance on the field has coincided with Uphill’s opening the season with five consecutive wins, for the first time in over a decade. Uphill hopes that he will continue to make a difference on the field in the upcoming games.
Maintaining their unbeaten start to the season, Churchward and his teammates will face their opponents North Newton this afternoon with a solid goal of bagging another win. It is a considerable improvement for Uphill, who suffered relegation for the first time in three years last season.
Churchward’s excellent form has helped his team get off to a flying start, with his side posting big scores while the bowlers have remained consistent. With high-quality players like Jermaine Jones and Ben Castle, paired with Churchward’s skills, Uphill hopes to continue to dominate the league this season.
