FOR James Clark growing up with his cricket-loving father Charles always gave him a sense of pride and joy in a sport he felt lucky to share.

Charles Clark was serving as chairman of Somerset County Cricket Club when he died from cancer at the age of 59 in June 2019.

He was not only passionate about his beloved club but also took huge interest in the players and the game.

Now James will be paying tribute to his father, together with his former school friends James Toomey and Charlie Collins, all aged 24.

They will be raising money for Cancer Research UK and Chance to Shine by cycling to all 18 of first class county cricket clubs in England and Wales covering 1,100 miles in 18 days to raise £18,000.

James said: “Aside from his family and the countryside, my dad had a love for cricket which was a joy we were lucky to share.

"It was a massive honour for him to have been at Lord’s and to see Somerset win silverware there for the first time in 14 years.

"It feels therefore a great challenge to take to our bikes and raise money for two worthy causes which mean so much."

The village cricket ground at Stoke St Mary is named in memory of Mr Clark, who was a much-respected auctioneer and life-long supporter of his home county team.

Mr Clark’s widow and James’s mum, Taunton Deane’s Conservative MP Rebecca Pow, is expected to be at Somerset's Cooper Associates County Ground, in Taunton, to wave the trio off on Monday (July 10).

From the ground, where the club will be playing that day, the cyclists will make their way to Gloucestershire Cricket Stadium in Bristol, then it will be on to Cardiff.

The other planned destinations are Worcester, Birmingham, Manchester, Durham, Leeds, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Northampton, Chelmsford, Lord's, The Oval, Canterbury, Sussex, Southampton and back to Taunton on Wednesday, July 26.

Some of the venues will be hosting cricket matches when the three visit.

They will be staying with friends and family on their route and at each ground they will be shaking collecting buckets and card readers.

To support the trio on their challenge clilck HERE.