London based musician Inkra Debelle and dancer/choreographer Jess Bee are joining up with Surrey County Cricket Club and the ACE Programme as they become the latest personalities to take on the ‘…vs cricket’ challenge.
Ahead of what will be a busy summer of international cricket at The Kia Oval, Inkra and Jess will be taking part in a special Women’s Ashes themed cricket challenge under the watchful eye of ACE Director Chevy Green and other members of the ACE programme.
Both Inkra and Jess will be looking to improve on performances previously put in by professional boxers Denzel ‘2Sharp’ Bentley, Isaac ‘IC’ Chamberlain and ‘Super’ Dan Azeez.
The boxers took on fielding, bowling, and batting drills with Dan Azeez claiming the current ‘…vs cricket’ record by hitting balls consecutively with the bowling machine set to 75mph.
London born singer-songwriter Inkra Debelle caught the ears of music lovers with her incredible voice and debut single ‘Nah’ will no doubt be familiar to listeners of national radio stations such as Radio 1. She will be hoping to catch the eye of ACE Programme Director Chevy Green when she visits The Kia Oval later this month.
Chevy said: “We’ve had two professional athletes take on the ‘…vs cricket’ challenge so far, with varying results, so I’ll be interested to see how musicians and dancers match up!”
Joining Inkra will be dancer and choreographer Jess Bee, who has worked with some of the biggest and most recognisable brands in the country. In addition to dancing, she has travelled the world teaching and has DJ’d across the world.
Speaking to KiaOval.com, Inkra Debelle said: “I’m really looking forward to it. I only really sampled cricket in primary school, and I’m alright with batting in general, but we will see when I’m put to the test with more realistic bowling speeds! I am sporty, and love anything active so I’m super excited.
“The work that Chevy and the ACE Programme do in trying to engage under-represented communities though sport is very inspiring, and I can’t wait to hear more about their journey.”
Jess Bee added: “I was more than happy to accept Chevy’s offer to come to The Kia Oval and meet with some of the kids from the ACE Programme.
“I’m competitive, too, so I’ve got my eyes on Dan Azeez’s record against the bowling machine. 75mph isn’t too bad, I don’t think… I’ve got a chance.
“It’ll be a good day and I’m looking forward to meeting the kids from the ACE Programme.”
The ‘…vs cricket’ challenge is a partnership between Surrey County Cricket Club and the ACE Programme. It is open to athletes or personalities from all walks of life and is designed to showcase how enjoyable cricket can be.
ACE Director Chevy Green said: “I’m excited that the ‘…vs cricket’ challenge continues to grow, and I can’t wait to see how the ‘music vs cricket’ instalment goes.
“I truly believe cricket can be enjoyed by everyone but we need to keep reaching new audiences and showing off our game.
“I think Inkra and Jess will be great to have at The Kia Oval and I’m looking forward to hearing more about their personal stories. The young people in the ACE Programme learn a lot by meeting high-performing individuals from not just other sports, but other industries as well.
“Our current record holder is Dan Azeez, who was very impressive with a cricket bat. Hitting cricket balls consistently when they’re being fired at you at 75mph is no easy feat. Dan is a professional athlete, though, so it remains to be seen whether a musician or dancer can match that level.
“We’ll find out soon!”
Stay tuned to the Surrey County Cricket Club social media channels to see how Inkra and Jess get on.
To buy tickets to the Women’s Ashes Vitality IT20 fixture on July 5th, click here
