MIXED FORTUNES FOR ZOMBIES

WARWICKSHIRE CRICKET BOARD Women’s Indoor League

 

SCORES - SUNDAY, NOV 25

 

Birmingham Uni (265 – 12) v Walmley CC (269 – 13) – Walmley win by 4 runs

 

Fiveways Zombies (264 – 11) v Walmley (273 – 13) – Walmley win by 9 runs

 

Birmingham University (271) v Fiveways Zombies (272) – Fiveways Zombies win

 

 

GET READY FOR THIS!

GEMMA AND SALMA SPREAD THEIR WINGS

Gemma (left) and Salma publicise their second Futsal marathon earlier this year

 

 

TWO prolific fund-raisers will be spreading their wings in the new year when they stage an exciting new sporting event.

Salma Bi and Gemma Smith have organised a World Dodgeball 2013 tournament to be held at the Birmingham Futsal Arena on Saturday, January 19.

Multi award-winning cricketer Salma is also head of MAD (Making A Difference) Productions, while Arena technical manager and futsal co-ordinator Gemma fronts Sporting Pathways.

Both organisations aim to maximise sporting opportunities for people in the Birmingham area and beyond, as well as raise vital funds for deserving causes.

In the past, Salma and Gemma have hosted 10 and 20-hour record-setting non-stop Futsal marathons, plus a T10 Indoor Cricket World Cup event, raising thousands of pounds in the process for charities such as the National Autistic Society.

Their latest event, the World Dodgeball tournament, will raise much-needed funds for North Wales based Ty Gobaith/Hope House Children's Hospice.

The Conwy Valley hospice provides specialist nursing care and support to life-limited children, young people and young adults. Its support extends to the whole family – from diagnosis, throughout the lifetime of the child and beyond.

Ty Gobaith, which has a sister hospice in Oswestry, has to raise over £4 million every year to maintain its services and receives just one month’s funding from statutory bodies.

Therefore it is heavily reliant on the support of the public.

Salma and Gemma have decided to raise money for Hope House because their publicity officer and close friend, Dave Jones, is based in North Wales.

Dave, a sports editor for three weekly newspapers and sports writer for the Daily Post, was asked if he had any ideas for a suitable cause to benefit from MAD and Sporting Pathways' latest fund raising event.

He did not hesitate to nominate Hope House, whose North Wales base is in the same offices as the Daily Post.

So what is Dodgeball?

Dodgeball is basically any of a variety of games in which players try to hit other players on the opposing team with their own balls while avoiding being hit themselves.

In the United States, the game is typically played among children aged six to 12 in elementary school.

However, internationally, the sport has also emerged as a popular middle school, high school and college sport. It is also popular in informal settings and is often played on a playground, in a gym, or in organised recreational leagues.

There are many variations of the game, but generally the main objective of each team is to eliminate all members of the opposing team by hitting them with thrown balls, catching a ball thrown by a member of the opposing team, or forcing them to move outside the court boundaries when a ball is thrown at them.

It is the sport where YOU are the target and on January 19 the delights of Dodgeball will be introduced to the Birmingham Futsal Arena. The event will be staged between 2 and 7pm.

The theme will be World Continents.

Six teams of six players each will play one another twice, leading to a semi-final and final.

Afterwards there will be presentations to include trophies, medals and certificates.

Entry fee is £10 and players will be placed into teams unless a group bring their own team.

Refreshments, event T-shirts and various prizes will be provided.

Teams competing will be:

Arctic Whales

American Coyotes

European Mammoths

African Meerkats

Asian Cobras

Australian Kangaroos

Deadline for entries is December 20 so get in touch soon!

Contact Gemma at the Futsal Arena on 07789 557931.

ZOMBIES HAVE 100% RECORD

Zombies player Maya Vashi

 

 

WARWICKSHIRE CRICKET BOARD

Women's Indoor League - results so far

Birmingham Uni 238-8 Fiveways Zombies 290-5
Zombies win by 52 runs

Fiveways Zombies 267-6 Walmley CC 260-7
Zombies win by seven runs

NOVEMBER 11
Fiveways Zombies 309 Birmingham Uni 246
Zombies win by 63 runs
Salma's report.....
Sunday we played Bham Uni - comfortable win. Original opponents Harborne couldn't get a team out but my girls performed.
Team was Cherie Dabbs with tight bowling, Simi Panesar excellent bowling, Maya Vashi quick singles, Salma Bi bowling under pressure, Nicky Preston big shots & Raneisha Ambersely fine keeping.

TABLE

Fiveways Zombies - P 3 PTS 9
Walmley CC - P 2 PTS 3
Birmingham University - P 2 PTS 0
Harborne - P 1 PTS 0

OCTOBER - ANOTHER AMAZING MONTH FOR SALMA

Salma with Yogesh Kalia

Salma with actor Humza Arshad

Salma with the great Andrew Strauss

Salma with Charlotte Edwards

 

RECENTLY we looked back on an amazing year so far for Salma Bi from January to September.
Well October has been pretty impressive too!
No matter what difficulties have been faced under the surface, Salma enjoyed her time at her dream ground Lord's, where she has represented the MCC many times in the past.
This time the Queen ov Speen was celebrating her win in the OSCA'S Outstanding Contribution to Cricket Awards. Representing her county Worcestershire, Salma was successful in the Building Partnerships category, alongside her captain Katie Blunt.
The event was very enjoyable with a three-course meal, the NatWest awards ceremony and meeting world-class players such as Andrew Strauss, the former England captain who retired from the game at the end of August following a glittering career where he led the country to No1 in the world Test Cricket status.
Also present was current England women's captain Charlotte Edwards, who has helped make her team the strongest in the world in the ladies game, as well as Clare Connor.
During October, Salma has also become a face for the young generation.
Approached by film directors from the Hamza Productions Project, Salma has performed in a comedy sketch alongside Hamza, who plays Diary of a Badman.
A YouTube film will soon be released to create more awareness of Salma's achievements in a two-part sketch and interview.
Salma hopes the project raises the profile of her and the work she is involved in.
This month has also given time for Gemma Smith and Salma to work on their new website soon to be launched www.sportingpathways.org/
Next month will be more about promotions for the next big event - World DodgeBall - and updates on Salma's team Five Ways Zombies, who defend their indoor cricket title.
More on the Zombies on the Believe in Mad - Making a Difference blog at
mad-cricket@blogspot.co.uk
Still to be produced is a two-part article on Salma and Gemma's careers so far in the Asian World article and another internet/TV interview with an online magazine company Desiblitz during an indoor cricket game.
Stay tuned for more news.....

ZOMBIES BACK IN STYLE

Zombies began the season in winning form

FIVE Ways Zombies made a great return to the indoor cricket world at the weekend.
Defending their title and captained by Worcestershire spinner Salma Bi, the Zombies' first match was against Birmingham University.
Bowling first, it was runs out galore by Mina Zahoor and Nicky Preston. Bham only managed to post a total of 216.
The Zombies crushed them easily by putting up a mighty target of 288, with big runs contributed by Salma and Cherie Dabbs.
The second game saw Zombies take on Walmley Cricket Club.
Batting first, Zombies posted 267. Now it was Walmley's turn to wield the willow.
Consistent bowlers such as Maya Vashi and Simi Panesar held up a good challenge, however, with one over remaining Walmley were now on a draw at 267.
Enter Salma to take the last over. Bowling with intensity to create pressure was her game. Three dot balls caused problems for the batsmen.
On their attempt to run off the fourth delivery, Walmley suffered a run out at the hands of Mina. The next ball was too good to hit, so off the final delivery the opposition needed something special.
A quicker delivery from the Queen ov Speen hit the toe of the batsman and as the ball reached Nicky's hands the Zombies knew another run out was on the way.
Another minus five runs and game over - another Zombies victory!
The girls strike again!
The new season is now well underway, so stay tuned for all the latest Zombies reports.

WHAT A YEAR SO FAR - SALMA BI

WHAT a fantastic year 2012 has been so far for award-winning sportsman Salma Bi - and there could still be more to come.
Over the past nine months, Salma's status in both the sporting world and Asian community has risen dramatically.
JANUARY
The year began with a two-page colour feature on Salma in The Asian Today newspaper which discussed her cricketing background and ambitious plans for 2012.
FEBRUARY
It was a good month for the Great White Sharks, the first female all-Asian futsal team to enter the Birmingham Women's League, and founded by Salma.
Their best result was an 8-1 win over Stingers B, in which Salma had a superb game in goal and Nazma Shaheen and Camilla Olsen scored four goals each.
MARCH
March was a huge month for Salma. Before International Women's Day, Sky Sports travelled to Birmingham to film Salma coaching cricket to young ladies.
She was later presented with a CD of all the footage, including interviews with her and some of the girls at the training session,
On March 10, Salma staged a non-stop Futsal Marathon at the Birmingham International Futsal Arena which lasted for a record 10 hours.
Salma captained Team Red and her friend Gemma Smith, the Arena's technical manager, led Team Blue in a highly successful event which raised over £1,000 for the National Autistic Society.
Twenty-four females took part and the Blue team won 167-100.
APRIL
Just six weeks later, Salma was back at the Arena in April hosting the Indoor T10 World Cup Cricket Tournament.
Teams representing England, Australia, Pakistan and India met on a round-robin basis and eventually the England team, captained by Salma, won a thrilling final against Australia.
Again over £1,000 was raised, this time for Mencap.
During April, Salma also appeared with her sister Anisha on Noor TV, where the pair discussed cricket and other sporting issues with presenter Ahmed Boston.
MAY
This month saw Salma gain deserved reward for her efforts in promoting sport when she was invited to two glittering award ceremonies in London.
At the Muslim Women Sports Foundation awards at Wembley Stadium, Salma was a finalist in the Services to Sport category.
Two weeks later, Salma was back in the capital at the ASIAN WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT awards at the plush Hilton Hotel.
This time Salma's success hit new heights as she was named the inaugural winner of the SPORT category, beating off the challenge of Britain's No1 women's tennis player Anne Keothavong.
Salma was a huge hit in this ceremony, her acceptance speech was the best of the night and the praise was ringing in her ears as she left the arena.
May really was a fantastic month for Salma as she also starred on the cricket field, helping Worcestershire Ladies to the top of Division Two. In a match against Cheshire, Salma claimed her best figures for the county of 4-25 off 10 overs.
JUNE
In June, Salma was featured in national magazine ALL OUT CRICKET where she answered questions about her career in a half-page spread. Great publicity!
Weatherwise, the summer was proving frustrating, with endless rain limiting Salma's cricket playing opportunities.
However, she kept busy on the Futsal court.
JULY
In July the Great White Sharks became the only team to beat league champions Two Left Feet during the season. Salma also scored three times from her goal!
AUGUST
It was back to winning awards in August, as Salma lifted the NatWest Volunteer of the Year accolade in the Building Partnerships category during a ceremony at Edgbaston.
Salma was also the subject of a two-page article in Fifteen21, a new internet magazine covering all aspects of Asian life.
The biggest triumph of August, however, came back at the Futsal Arena, where Salma and Gemma inspired a new record 20-hour non-stop Futsal marathon.
Thirty-three ladies took part, and Salma's Team Lime defeated Gemma's Team Tango 163-114.
Over £2,000 was raised for Cerebral Palsy Midlands on an unforgettable occasion which lasted from 4am to midnight!
SEPTEMBER
September has already delivered a major highlight for the Queen ov Speen!
Playing for North Wales side Hawarden Park in Cheshire Women's County League Division Three, Salma claimed career best bowling figures of 5-10 as Hawarden celebrated a famous victory in the last over at Oxton.
There are still three months of this year left to go, but whatever happens between now and the end of December, 2012 has been a truly remarkable year in the life of the inspirational Salma Bi.
And while her personal achievements can only be praised, Salma is always first to acknowledge her successes would not be possible without the help of others.
Teamwork is a key word for this very special person, who will continue to set new goals.

CAREER BEST FOR SALMA IN FAMOUS WIN

SALMA BI returned career best figures of 5-10 in Hawarden Park's fabulous last over victory in Sunday's Cheshire Women's Cricket League Division Three match at Oxton.
The Queen ov Speen had the option to play for three teams on the day, but decided to help the ladies of Hawarden for whom she enjoyed playing so much at Oakmere earlier this season.
This Pro30 match was Hawarden's last of the season and what a thriller it proved to be!
Park won the toss and chose to field. Oxton made an impressive start, reaching 30-0 off the first 10 overs.
Captain Naela Ahmad gave every bowler an opportunity, but it was Salma who provided the breakthrough.
In her first over, the right-arm Worcestershire spinner had two catches dropped off her bowling. However, she persisted and claimed a caught and bowled to leave Oxton one down.
There was more rotation, but when Salma came back she claimed her second wicket - clean bowling the home batsman.
Young Megan Roberts then took two great wickets in one over in the space of three balls. Anisha Bi, Salma's younger sister who bowls pace, also hit the stumps and ended with 1-14 off 4 overs.
Youngster Sammi Short took a nice bowled wicket too.
Back came Salma for the 25th & 27th overs and she scooped three bowled wickets to finish with best career figures of 5-10 off four overs.
The final wicket deservedly fell to captain Naela as Oxton finished on 95 all out off 28.2 overs.
Hawarden went into bat but they lost a wicket off the first delivery of the innings.
A slight hiccup, but Gill Short and Georgia Lee steadied things, however 16-1 off 10 overs was behind the run rate chasing 95.
Another wicket fell and Salma advanced to the crease. She struck her first ball for four and faced four more deliveries, getting to 10 runs before she was bowled by one which kept low.
Another two wickets fell straight after and now Gill retiring left Naela and young Sammi in the middle.
From the word go Naela struck with confidence. Dominating the strike she brought the score to 67-5 off 20 overs and it was getting more nerve racking!
Once Hawarden got into the 80s things looked easier but the overs got less.
After 29.2 over Park were 95-6 with one needed for victory and four balls left. Could the win be achieved?
Naela had the answer. A big hit and victory was secured on 98-6!
Naela produced the innings of her life, finishing 48 not out and hitting her first career six.
Salma said: "I never wanted to win a game this bad and can't thank all the Welsh girls enough for their hospitality.
"Today I was given the chance to play for another two teams but I'm glad I picked where my heart was set because it paid off. Worth The Journey xxxx"

SALMA WINS ANOTHER AWARD!

BELIEVE in MAD (Making a Difference) founder Salma Bi has received another award for her services to cricket.
Salma was invited to the Bill Jones Memorial Volunteer of the Year Awards at New Road, Worcestershire, for the NatWest OSCA presentations and received the Building Partnerships accolade for her work in promoting the game.
The tribute to Salma said: "Salma has been pro-active in getting women and girls into playing cricket.
"In particular, she has worked very hard with the Asian Community. She has arranged coaching sessions, tournaments etc for women and girls and encouraged them to be involved.
"In doing this, she has been working hard and successfully to persuade local press, radio and TV to report on the girls' cricketing activities."
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR HERO ONCE AGAIN!
TO RECEIVE AN AWARD TAKES JUST A SECOND, BUT ALL THE HARD WORK THAT GOES INTO WINNING AN AWARD TAKES HOURS UPON HOURS OF PATIENCE, PERSISTENCE AND DEDICATION.

GREAT INTERVIEW WITH SALMA

THERE is an interview with Salma Bi in the latest issue of Fifteen21 magazine.

In the interview of guiding light talks about her cricket career, her professional life and her background in sport.

As always, a great read. And there is also a feature on the great Amir Khan (pictured above with Salma).

Access Salma's interview on PAGE 32 by clicking on the link below

 www.fifteen21.com

QUEEN OF SPEEN STARS FOR THE PARK

WHAT a wonderful night it was on Monday, July 10, when Salma guested for North Wales club Hawarden Park in their women's T20 match against Oakmere of Cheshire.
Who else would drive down from Birmingham after a long hospital shift to North Wales to guest in a cricket match! No-one can beat the Queen of Speen for passion or dedication.
The game was due to be played at the Castle Ground in Hawarden, but the rain had started to fall heavily and there was no chance of any action.
However, at Oakmere the weather was better and although time was of the essence, Hawarden agreed to travel to mid-Cheshire to play the fixture.
It turned out to be a really good game at a beautiful ground.
Oakmere batted first and made 88 off their 15 overs. Salma bowled beautifully. Her first ball turned a county and beat everything, almost the perfect start!
Salma's first over was a maiden, her second over produced a wicket - bowled and so did her third over - bowled again. Her final figures were 3-1-9-2 - brilliant.
The rest of the team produced some good deliveries, Becky Moss, Naela Ahmad and 12-year-old Sammi Short was really impressive, showing some fine control and taking a lovely caught and bowled. Sammi is one for the future.
It must be said all the Oakmere players batted well too, especially their opener who retired after making 25. They found the gaps and played intelligent cricket.
Hawarden's batting never got going and a lot of that was down to the accurate, sensible bowling of Oakmere.
Salma made six, hitting one four, but she was dropped twice before being caught the third time she skied the ball.
There was some good hitting from Naela and the final team total was 40.
Well played Oakmere, a really good all-round side and a lovely welcoming club.
It was a great night. All the Hawarden team really appreciated Salma's presence and while she was there she managed to give some coaching to a beautiful little girl, Aahilya Ahmad, daughter of Naela, who shows a real interest in spinning the ball. Hopefully she will keep playing and improving and will not forget the day she met the Queen of Speen.
Mention too for Naela's wonderful sister Shamila, a lovely person who is developing a career in nursing and also loves her sport.
Salma can now put an appearance for a North Wales team on her cricketing CV!
This weekend she will hopefully get in two games for Worcestershire who are top of Division Two of the County Championship. Worcs are currently top of the table with Salma taking seven wickets in three matches, including a county best 4-25.

SALMA IS BOWLING THEM OVER!

SHE has all sorts of sporting ventures planned for the rest of this year but SALMA BI is having a wonderful season playing her favourite sport - CRICKET

We know all about Salma's achievements off the field, her awards, her coaching, her ventures in getting more people involved in sport, so let's firstly look at the sport at which she excels most - CRICKET! 

Here is a rundown on her 2012 season so far...

The Summer 2012 cricket season is well underway, and as always it's a busy schedule for Salma who takes time out from the professional career of nursing, using up annual leave to play sports.

It all kicked off with the county season and Salma became a very useful player for WORCESTERSHIRE, helping them into top position in the WOMEN'S COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION TWO by taking a number of useful wickets.

Salma is getting closer to yet again being the leading wicket-taker in her league. Used as a full-time off-spin bowler, Salma will use her spells wisely to bag big wickets - including England wickets.

Here is a look at WORCESTERSHIRE great form so far this season....

May 6 v Durham: Worcestershire won by 187 runs. Salma took 1-19

May 7 v Wales: Abandoned (not a ball bowled)

May 27 v Cheshire: Worcestershire won by seven wickets. Salma's figures 10-1-25-4 (Best ever figures for county!)

June 3 v Warwickshire: Abandoned (not a ball bowled)

June 4 v Netherlands: Worcestershire won by seven wickets. Salma took 2-28.

Salma's full county figures so far in 2012: seven wickets in three games for 72 runs (average 10.28)

Apart from playing high-level competitive cricket Salma has turned up for all club games for the women's and men's teams at Five Ways Old Edwardians. 

Being a useful player always is an advantage assisting a new Development side.

Salma made an appearance for a T20 side and hit a best 34 not out in 5 overs with non-stop fours and sixes.

Salma has also been approached by a team in Wales, who are struggling for a win, to get them started. Sometimes all it takes is to get a little boost and the whole team will gain confidence.

Salma still is playing for MCC representatives who combine together as a team to play against other counties, clubs, schools, universities and academies. All games are pay to play, so you can imagine how much it costs to buy kit, travels and teas. Perhaps it all comes down to commitment and passion. 

When Salma isn't at the firing line she has supported Anisha her younger sister, aged 16, who represents Warwickshire Under 17's.

Salma still fits in her coaching and umpiring every week where possible.

Salma's other younger sister Aisha, aged 17, was recently selected for West Bromwich Albion Football Club's Scholarship Programme.

These are exciting and hectic times but nothing is stopping these girls from doing what they love!

The three sisters also compete alongside each other for The Great White Sharks Futsal Team - the only Asian Women's Futsal Team in the Birmingham League ever in history and now in their third season. 

What's next on the cards? 

Salma, founder of cricket coaching venture Believe in M.A.D Making A Difference has now gone into partnership with Gemma Smith, founder of Sporting Pathways.

Gemma, the Women's Futsal League manager, has previously worked closely with Salma on past projects i.e Women's Futsal Marathon 10-Hours Record & Women's Indoor Cricket T10 World Cup 2012.

Gemma was previously selected for the England Women's Football Team Under 17s squad (more on Gemma in a separate article on the Great White Sharks blog).

Gemma believes in creating opportunities for others in sport by making them realise the dreams her and Salma once had.

Two strong personalities Salma and Gemma (Jess & Jules) look forward to host their next big event - the Women's Futsal 20 Hours Marathon 2012 scheduled for Saturday 25th August 2012.

They are signing up girls right now for a Futsal match which runs from 4am to midnight. They are not only raising money for Cerebal Palsy, but also looking to set another women's futsal record - never attempted before but not yet beaten either. 

Since winning the Asian Women of Achievement Sport Award in May, Salma feels even more confident about setting more records and will reveal what other sports they look forward to promoting for girls.

Straight after the Futsal event Sporting Pathways are going to host 'World Dodgeball'. Recruits showing interest are nationally based making their way from London, Leeds, Wales, Liverpool & Manchester!

MAD/Sporting Pathways also aim to also back a project based in the USA called GET HER IN THE GAME.

This project will try to prove girls aged 14+ are not dropping out of sports, but in fact are taking them up. The aim will be to find 100 girls in the UK with a sporting career they will aim to raise the profiles of.

NEW VENTURE FOR M.A.D

FOLLOWING a meeting on June 12 we can now announce M.A.D Productions will work alongside a new organisation called SPORTING PATHWAYS.
Sporting Pathways is a Community Interest Company (CIC), an organisation created purely for giving opportunities to young people, volunteers and coaches.
As a CIC, all the work Sporting Pathways delivers is for the benefit of the community.
It is run Women's Futsal League co-ordinator Gemma Smith. http://sportingpathways.org/
Believe In M.A.D (Making A Difference) is a coaching academy that promotes women's/girls and disability sports/events which encourages participants oft all abilities within the community to take part in sporting activity opportunities provided for them, run by cricketer/coach Salma Bi.
Also part of the new partnership is Coast Collective, a small North Wales-based charity fundraising organisation, which also specialises in promoting women's sports.
This is done through the professional services of Dave Jones, PA to Salma Bi and also sports writer for the Daily Post, sports editor of three weekly newspapers in North Wales and the award-winning Wales judge for the Uefa Best Footballer in Europe award in Monaco.

Putting all three organisations together the aim of the 'Sporting Pathways' project will aim to encourage:
Create opportunities and bring all abilities together
Provide Community Interest Activities
Diminish Crime + Anti-social Behaviour
Make young people more confident in what they do
Encourage and teach life skills and in the workforce
Educate health and well-being
Encourage drive, passion and motivation 
Focus on BME Groups
Develop a sustainable environment
Social acceptance and understanding

The Project will Include four events and 'The M.A.D Challenge' - all in a timescale of two years.
SUPPORTING THE WOMEN'S SPORTS FOUNDATION
We would like to promote the Women's Sports Foundation's 'Keep her in the Game' Project which is a study taken place in USA on girls aged 14+.http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/
We know that by the age of 14, girls are dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys. 
The WSF have singled out six contributing factors that influence their opportunities and how you can keep more girls in the game.
Taking interest in this study we in the United Kingdom not only want to donate but to challenge the study in our project. 
We as a company are confident we can take on a challenge, being known for setting world records and hosting events without being backed by any big funding organisation, we believe we can create a Pathways By Making A Difference!


Consider what we've achieved so far...
March 10th 2012 - We hosted 'The First Ever Women's Futsal 10 Hour Marathon Record 2012'  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uftyEWnrpYQ
April 21st 2012- We hosted 'The Women's Indoor Cricket T10 World Cup 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puUlt7uQuk8&feature=relmfu

Both were challenges nobody has yet set or achieved. We funded these events ourselves and gained national exposure.
We not only hosted the event nationally,  we also raised money for the National Autistic Society and Mencap Disability.


Here is one of the things we propose to do....
'THE M.A.D CHALLENGE'
Find 100 girls aged 12-22 who are either looking to participate in sports or already are doing sports as a career.
Target - Secondary Schools in United Kingdom.
Encourage them to take up sports by running a sports sessions either of Futsal or Cricket and get feedback.
Create a register which will monitor the participants sporting activity over 3 years.
Real-life case-studies which will not only create a profile but inspire more women/girls to take up sports.

THE CHALLENGE:
To find these girls/women over a two-month period by finding statistics and evaluation of progress. June 20th to Aug 20th 2012.
Case Study Examples...... 
COACH: Gemma Smith  
PARTICIPANT Aisha Bi, aged 17, A level College Student, Plays for the Great White Sharks Futsal Team and offered Scholarship Program with West Bromwich Albion Football Club.
COACH: Salma Bi 
PARTICIPANT: Anisha Bi, aged 16, final year secondary student. Plays For Warwickshire County Cricket Club Under 17's team and enrolled to do Level 1 Coaching Course.

All 100 participants will be part of a study which promotes women's sports, educates health and well-being and will offer future sporting career opportunities.
Each participant will given the opportunity to raise money for charities and given exclusivity to all Sporting Pathways + MAD Productions Events.

BIG MAGAZINE DEBUT FOR SALMA!

BELIEVE in MAD (Making A Difference) co-ordinator Salma Bi has had widespread coverage on TV, radio and newspapers in recent months - but now she has made the breakthrough into magazines!
And Salma has kicked off with a pretty big name - the national cricket magazine All-Out Cricket!
The June issue, which includes in-depth interviews with Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook, also features a half-page special on Salma on her sporting background, cricket career and community work, including a mention of her Asian Women of Achievement Sport Award which she received in May.
The magazine is in all good shops now at £4.25. It contains over 100 pages and some fascinating features on the beautiful game of cricket.

www.alloutcricket.com

SALMA'S IN THE NEWS AGAIN!

OUR guiding light Salma Bi is featured in both the Birmingham Mail and The Asian Today this week.
The newspapers have published the story of Salma's success in becoming the first ever winner of the Sport category at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards in London.
The glittering ceremony took place on May 16 at the plush Hilton Hotel in Park Lane and featured a star-studded guest list which included awards patron Cherie Blair QC, Eastenders actress Preeya Kalidas, newsreader Mary Nightingale and rising star, pop singer Avina Shah.

The 13th AWA awards included a Sport section for the very first time and Salma was named the inaugural winner ahead of former British No1 tennis player Anne Keothavong, England hockey talent Ashpal Kaur Bhogai, Urvasi Naidoo, CEO of the International Federation of Netball Associations, and amateur boxer and coach Saira Tabasum.

See below for the links to these articles....

http://www.theasiantoday.com/online-edition/issue-163/the-asian-today.html

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2012/06/07/muslim-female-cricket-coach-gets-award-97319-31128843/

SALMA SHINES AT AWA AWARDS

BELIEVE IN MAD - MAKE A DIFFERENCE founder Salma Bi knocked the opposition for six when she received one of the greatest accolades of her sporting career last week.

Birmingham spin bowler Salma became the first ever winner of the Sport category at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards in London.

A glittering ceremony at the plush Hilton Hotel on Park Lane saw the 26-year-old haemodialysis nurse from Bordesley Green crowned Britain's top Asian sportswoman for her outstanding services to cricket and the community.

The prestigious event featured a star-studded guest list which included awards patron Cherie Blair QC, Eastenders actress Preeya Kalidas, newsreader Mary Nightingale and rising star, pop singer Avina Shah.

The 13th AWA awards included a Sport section for the very first time and Salma was named the inaugural winner ahead of former British No1 tennis player Anne Keothavong, England hockey talent Ashpal Kaur Bhogai, Urvasi Naidoo, CEO of the International Federation of Netball Associations, and amateur boxer and coach Saira Tabasum.

Salma is no stranger to the prize podium having won the British Asian Sports Awards Outstanding Achievement accolade in 2009. She was also a contender for BASA Coach of the Year in 2010 and this year was shortlisted for the Outstanding Contribution prize at the Muslim Women's Sports Foundation awards at Wembley Stadium.

The first Muslim woman to represent Worcestershire at cricket, Salma also plays regularly for the MCC as well as featuring   for both men's and women's teams at Birmingham area clubs Five Ways Old Edwardians and Wall. She is also a Level One coach and umpire.

This year Salma launched her own coaching organisation Believe in MAD - Make A Difference which aims to raise the profile of girls/women's and disability cricket.

Last month she staged a T10 World Cricket Cup event at Birmingham International Futsal Arena which involved 32 women representing four different Test playing nations and raised over £1,000 for the charity Mencap.

Just six weeks earlier Salma was also the inspiration behind a 10-hour non-stop futsal marathon held at the same venue. Twenty four women took part and more than £1,000 was raised for the National Autistic Society.

In her celebration speech at the Hilton, Salma spoke about these events and thanked the small but dedicated team of supporters which helped make it all possible.

She also talked of the hurdles she has had to overcome to make her mark as a cricketer and highlighted her future ambitions.

"I do nothing for personal glory - my aim is to promote the sport I love and help others," she said. "If I receive awards or recognition along the way it is a bonus.

"The success of my events has inspired me further. We didn't change, we just made a difference."

Salma's infectious and engaging personality, her eloquence and humour, ensured she received rapturous applause as she left the stage. As she departed into the night, the praise was ringing in her ears from all quarters.

Salma Bi leaves a positive impression on everyone she meets.

Now it is time to concentrate on her cricket, continue leading her team the Great White Sharks in the Birmingham Women's Futsal League, and no doubt it won't be long before she is planning her next adventure......

ENGLAND WIN T10 WORLD CUP!

Captains Salma Bi, Zem Afzal, Amna Rafiq and Gemma Goode line up before the tournament

Champions England

ENGLAND were winners of the inaugural T10 Women's World Cricket Cup held at the Birmingham International Futsal Arena on April 21.

The pioneering event, organised by Salma Bi's MAD (Making A Difference) foundation, featured 32 women split into four teams of eight each representing a Test cricket playing country.

England, Australia, Pakistan and India battled it out in a thrilling tournament which also raised over £1,000 for the charity Mencap.

For Salma, it was a second major indoor sporting event she had hosted just six weeks apart.

On March 10, the 26-year-old from Bordesley Green was one of 24 women who completed a 10-hour non-stop futsal marathon at the same Birmingham venue from which over £1,000 was raised for the National Autistic Society.

After the final ball was kicked Salma immediately set about organising the T10 World Cup helped in various ways by sister Aisha, Futsal Arena staff Gemma Smith and Ikhlaq Hussain and Welsh sports journalist Dave Jones.

Pre-tournament preparations did not always go smoothly with the West Indies team pulling out the day before, plus there was family focus on the imminent addition to the Bi family, a baby nephew for Salma, but come the day all went swimmingly.

In the group stage, countries played one another on a round-robin basis with results as follows:

Game 1- England 248 Pakistan 246 (ENG WIN BY 2 RUNS)

Game 2- India 256 Australia 273 (AUS WIN BY 17 RUNS)

Game 3- India 240 England 301 (ENG WIN BY 61 RUNS)

Game 4- Pakistan 164 Australia 277 (AUS WIN BY 113 RUNS)

Game 5- England 274 Australia 268 (ENG WIN BY 6 RUNS)

Game 6- Pakistan 301 India 270 (PAK WIN BY 31 RUNS)

Game 7- Pakistan 247 England 299 (ENG WIN BY 52 RUNS)

Game 8- Australia 309 India 244 (AUS WIN BY 65 RUNS)

Game 9- England 277 India 278 (IND WIN BY 1 RUN)

Game 10- Australia 284 Pakistan 247 (AUS WIN BY 37 RUNS)

The final group standings saw England and Australia finish on four points with Pakistan and India one apiece.

Pakistan skipper Zem Afzal won the toss for the third-fourth place play-off and opted for a bowl out.

This was won 3-0 by Pakistan, with Joanne Insley, Farzana Hussain and captain Zem all hitting the stumps.

The final saw England win the toss for the first time all day and opt to bat.

They scored at a steady 20 runs per over before Mina Zahoor and captain Amna Rafiq grabbed six wickets in four overs for the Aussies.

England then fought back, Nicky Preston and Anisha Bi guiding the "hosts" to a final score of 281.

In reply, Australia batted sensibly and looked to be heading for victory on 273 in the seventh over.

However, cometh the hour cometh the hero and "Queen ov Speen" Salma took three wickets in an over before handing the ball to Nicky, who claimed another victim, leaving Australia on 251 at the close and England victorious by 30 runs.

After the tournament Salma said: "Who could have written a better script?

"Thirty-two girls from all walks of life participated in an event never attempted before. Out of all 32 girls only 10 play at club level or higher.

"As well as pulling off an event such as this, the girls also raised over £1,000 for Mencap.

"Women's sport deserves recognition, it deserves promotion, it deserves it's time to set new records, to provide for individuals who are yet to grasp the game, who are yet to be recognised for their talents - who are yet to Make A Difference."

Salma hopes to bring more events such as this not just to the Midlands, but further afield.

In the meantime, a big month is coming up for the first Asian female to play cricket for Worcestershire.

On May 2, Salma is one of three contenders in the Outstanding Contribution section at the Muslim Women's Sports Foundation Ambassador Awards at Wembley Stadium.

Then on May 18, she will be among the nominations in the Sport category at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards, also in London.

Three years ago Salma won the Outstanding Achievement accolade at the British-Asian Sports Awards.

T10 WORLD CUP SQUADS

PAKISTAN: Zem Afzal (cptn), Joanne Insley, Farzana Hussain, Zakia Malik, Halima Khan, Tasha Beck, Aisha Ahmed, Shareen Rahim.

AUSTRALIA: Amna Rafiq (cptn), Aisha Bi, Hayley Shaddic, .Sophie Molyneux, Sara Ali, Zoya Saleh, Chantel Hunter, Mina Zahoor.

INDIA: Gemma Goode (cptn), Amanda Payne, Gail Collins, Gemma Smith, Hira Jan, Rahima Khan, Hassina Begum, Charlie Charmer.

ENGLAND: Salma Bi (cptn), Maya Vashi, Anisha Bi, Masooma Naqvi, Rahilla Rafiq, Nicky Preston, Camilla Olsen, Myra Faz.

QUEEN OF SPEEN AND ACE OF PACE ON TV!

Anisha Bi

THE Fame Game was in evidence once more for the Great White Sharks, Fiveways and Wall cricket clubs and Birmingham sport today when Salma Bi and her sister Anisha Bi appeared on Sky TV.
The two sporting females were guests on Noor TV (Sky 819) where they were interviewed in depth on their sports careers by excellent presenter Ahmed Boston.
This was the latest in a series of TV, radio, internet and newspaper appearances for Salma, who in recent times has been interviewed by Sky Sports and a number of radio stations about her involvement with the Women's Futsal Marathon and T10 World Cup ladies cricket tournament at the Birmingham International Futsal Arena.
Salma is now very much a media personality and is in line for more big publicity as she has been nominated in the Sports category at the Asian Women Achievement Awards to be held in London in May.
Personal fame is not the important thing to Salma - it is the opportunity to promote sport and encourage more women's involvement in sport on an increasingly wider scale.

Salma Bi

SALMA IN FINAL OF ASIAN WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT IN SPORT AWARD!

Our very own Salma Bi is in the running for the Asian Women of Achievement in Sport award after being named in a group of sporting achievers nominated for the prestigious prize.

Salma is best known for her cricketing activities, as a player, coach and ambassador.

She will find out if she has won the award at a glittering ceremony in London on May 16.

Whether she is successful or not, just to be nominated is a fantastic honour.

Our friend, our hero, our inspiration - let's all get behind Salma!

Click on the link below for the full story in this week's Birmingham Mail....

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2012/04/05/birmingham-cricketer-salma-bi-in-final-of-asian-women-of-achievement-in-sport-award-97319-30696758/

GET READY FOR THIS

GET READY FOR THE T10 WORLD CUP!

MAD Productions Presents....The Women's Indoor Cricket T10 World Cup

Notice: Change of Date now confirmed - The tournament takes place on 21st April 2012 Saturday 9am-7pm
All Games will take place at Birmingham International Futsal Arena
Great King Street, Birmingham B19 2LF
 
FORMAT 
8 A-side Teams each represent a country (Max 10 players reserves optional)
£10 per player - enter as Team or Individual
T-shirts, food, drinks, medals, trophy, kit, indoor balls provided.
All you need is A Bat and Gloves.
 
Prizes up for Grabs - Bonus 10 runs if Hit MADSigns. Free-Hit, Super Over, Hat-Trick wicket = 10 runs for bowling side.
Charity Fundraiser for Mencap Disability.
 
Each Net =2 Runs. Back Net =10 Runs, 6 Runs and 4 Runs.
No LBW's.
Each pair bat 2 Overs, each bowler 2 Overs...last 2 Overs captain decides pair/bowlers.
 
Aim to have 10 Teams, two League tables then progress to group stages via quarters, semi-final and then 
the World Cup Final!
Enter Now - deadline 10th April. Ages 14+ All abilities welcome
 
Get in Touch!! 
 
All enquiries to edinews96@aol.com 

Believe In M.A.D |Making A Difference|