Playing disability cricket with Parkinson's: my Surrey D40 story

By Daryn Potgieter, a cricketer living with Parkinson's. Last checked 6 October 2026.

Short answer: yes, there is a pathway into disability cricket in England, and people with Parkinson's are part of it. I went from watching highlights on YouTube to a county trial in a few months. Whether you can play D40 is decided by the ECB's classification, so the first step is to ask.

How I got here

I played as a boy in KwaZulu-Natal and then didn't play for nearly thirty years. I came back at the end of the 2025 summer, after my son started playing.

That autumn I found disability cricket by watching Disability Premier League highlights on YouTube. I didn't know it existed. Winter training at Merstham CC put me in touch with the Surrey county coach, and that led to a trial at an indoor session at the Kia Oval.

Now I bat at the top of the order for Surrey's D40 side. My hands don't always do what I ask. At the crease, it's a different story.

The pathway, step by step

Softball (S9) cricket. Surrey Cricket Foundation describes S9 as a softball format designed for players with disabilities, and "a key pathway to the D40 hardball competitions". Surrey Cricket Foundation: S9
D40 county cricket. The ECB's 40-over disability competition, for players with a physical disability, a learning disability, or hearing loss or deafness, who pass the ECB's classification. ECB D40 regulations 2026
Disability Champion Clubs. ECB-supported clubs that welcome disabled players. New Champion Clubs get a free kit bag and up to £500 seed funding in their first year. ECB Champion Clubs
Walking cricket. No running, softer ball. A gentler way in. See our walking cricket guide.

Your first step

Contact your county cricket board or a Disability Champion Club near you and ask about disability cricket. In Surrey, start with the Surrey Cricket Foundation. Tell them about your condition. Classification is their job, not yours.

Talk to your care team before you take up a new sport.

Questions

Can people with Parkinson's play D40 cricket?

D40 is for players with a physical disability, a learning disability, or hearing loss or deafness who pass the ECB's classification. Whether a person with Parkinson's is eligible is decided through that classification, so ask your county cricket board.

What is S9 cricket?

S9 is a softball cricket format designed for players with disabilities. In Surrey it is a pathway to D40 hardball cricket.

How do I find a disability cricket club?

Look for an ECB Disability Champion Club, or contact your county cricket board or cricket foundation.

Join the movement

Batting Against Parkinson's: twelve hours in the nets, Saturday 20 February 2027, PowerPlay RH1, Redhill. All ages and abilities welcome.

Book a slot Make a pledge Donate

Keep reading

Sources

This page shares lived experience and published information. It is not medical advice. Talk to your GP, consultant or Parkinson's nurse about your own care.