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MARSHALL AND SAXELBY JOIN BIG BIKE RIDE 2

4 February 2015

Gloucestershire batsman Hamish Marshall and his former county team-mate Ian Saxelby will be getting on their bikes along with four members of England’s 2005 Ashes-winning side to raise money for the Professional Cricketers’ Association Benevolent Fund and the Tom Maynard Trust.

Marshall, a former New Zealand Test player, is Gloucestershire’s beneficiary this year and Saxelby, a seam bowler who was forced to retire last season because of injury, is his Benefit Chairman.

The Gloucestershire pair will join Michael Vaughan, who captained England to Ashes glory 10 years ago, Andrew Flintoff, Marcus Trescothick and Steve Harmison among 60 riders who will cycle from Truro in Cornwall to the Kia Oval over five days in October in the Big Bike Ride 2.

The first Big Bike Ride in 2013 raised more than £200,000 for the PCA Benevolent Fund and Tom Maynard Trust and another six-figure sum in sponsorship is the target for this year’s event.

"Big Bike Ride 1 in 2013 was an incredible experience for us all.  The ride was really tough, but the camaraderie was inspiring and the fundraising end result was beyond expectations," said Jason Ratcliffe, Assistant Chief Executive of the PCA‎.

"To have another full house of riders for all five days including 30 current and past members demonstrates an incredibly strong commitment to help our two valuable charities."

The ride will cover around 400 miles with the first leg from Truro to Instow in Devon on October 9.  The following day the riders will cycle from Instow to Somerset CCC’s headquarters at Taunton followed by legs from Taunton to Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl on October 11, the Ageas Bowl to Sussex CCC’s County Ground at Hove on October 12 ending with the final leg from Hove to the Kia Oval on October 13.

The PCA Benevolent Fund is part of the Association’s commitment to helping current and former players and their dependants in times of hardship and upheaval to readjust to the world beyond the game.

The Fund also supports players and their dependants who might be in need of a helping hand with medical advice, a much-needed operation or those who require specialist advice, care or assistance.

The Tom Maynard Trust was set up in the summer of 2012 following Tom’s tragic death.

Its initial objectives were to try to provide low level financial support for young cricketers making their way in the game.

This has now been expanded to include grants for aspiring young sports people looking for support with different aspects of their career development, education and awareness programmes, the Tom Maynard Academy at the Desert Springs complex in Southern Spain where up to 14 emerging county cricketers will benefit from specialist technical and conditioning work and a scholarship at his old school, Millfield School.

To support and donate to Big Bike Ride 2 go to: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/iansaxelby1

For more information go to: http://www.thepca.co.uk/big-bike-ride-2.html

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