Today marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Tom Maynard. In 2012, at the age of 23, Tom seemed on the verge of great things for Surrey and, according to many good judges, for England.
The son of Glamorgan legend and current head coach Matt Maynard, Tom died tragically just as he was reaching the peak of his cricketing powers.
After his death, father Matt, along with the Professional Cricketers’ Association, set up the Tom Maynard Trust to help the development of aspiring disadvantaged cricketers and other athletes who require support with the different aspects of their career development, including bursaries, training, education, financial support and kit.
Matt Maynard says: “Our initial target was to raise a quarter of a million pounds and I think by the end of fundraising we’ll be three times that so it’s been beyond our wildest dreams. We’re delighted with the success the charity has had this past decade.”
In particular, the trust supports the PCA’s Rookie Camps, part of the Personal Development and Welfare Programme. Matt, pictured here after a charity bike ride with Surrey chairman Richard Thompson, says: “Everyone learnt a lot of lessons from Tom’s death and supporting the Rookie Camps has been very well received by young players and hopefully given them an insight into the potential dangers and pitfalls of professional sport. Knowing that we’re educating youngsters, to ensure that what happened to Tom doesn’t happen again, gives the family a lot of satisfaction in Tom’s name.”
He continued: “You need that avenue of communication. Speaking to a counsellor about Tom really helps. And it continues to be very beneficial. I still have dark days but I know that I can always pick up the phone and speak to someone if I need to.”
Tom joined Surrey at the start of the 2011 season and played 24 first-class matches, scoring 1,657 runs at 42.48 with four centuries; 18 List A games, scoring 599 runs at at 39.93; and 16 Twenty20 matches, scoring 399 runs at 39.90. He is sorely missed by everyone at the Club and our thoughts are with all his family and friends.
For more on The Tom Maynard Trust visit https://www.tommaynardtrust.com/
