All Stars Cricket is being praised for putting the heartbeat back into the future of Welsh cricket.
More than 2000 children across Wales are now signed up to All Stars with many clubs across Wales like Dolgellau and Aberaeron in mid-Wales and St. Ishmaels in Pembrokeshire using All Stars, an initiative introduced by the England and Wales Cricket Board this summer, to recruit a new generation of young cricketers.
“In terms of cricket development this is probably the best thing the England and Wales Cricket Board has brought in in my lifetime,” insisted Dolgellau Cricket Club All Stars Activator Gareth Lanagan.
“It means we are getting kids at an early age we will see the future cricketers of our area.
“If you go to England there is a lot of village clubs that are thriving but there are a lot of places around Dolgellau, Aberaeron and Aberystwyth which don’t have any clubs anymore.
“Dolgellau has probably got the biggest catchment area of any club in Wales. We take kids from Towyn, Bala and Blaenau Ffestiniog.
“The first thing is to get kids playing cricket and the dream is that these players that I’m coaching will one day replace me in the first team.
“The sessions are all about giving kids a chance to play cricket in an area maybe where they wouldn’t get that chance and it’s creating a buzz about cricket.”
Jenny Pitchford, Activator for Aberaeron Cricket Club, said: “I think there has been some really good thought gone into the All Stars programme. The children are learning cricket techniques but by having fun as well.
“There isn’t a huge amount of cricket in mid-Wales and it’s difficult for parents to travel.
“We do have a junior side but not enough to fill a whole team at the moment, so I’m hoping that in five years we will be able to fill more than one team. But we can also restart things like the Mid-Wales County League.”
St Ishmaels, near Milford Haven, runs two senior teams but had abandoned its children’s section because of a lack of interest more than five years ago.
But All Stars, promoted by the England and Wales Cricket Board, which is attracting 35 five to eight-year-olds every Thursday evening, is helping to give St Ishmaels a future.
“We have a first and second team but we haven’t run any junior teams for at least five years,” explained Peter Bradshaw, St Ishmaels first team captain.
“There has been no junior section to draw on recently but All Stars has attracted 35 young children which is absolutely brilliant.
“It’s great to get kids involved like this and hopefully we can get them and their parents in involved in the club and they recognise that this is a friendly club.”
Mum Rachel Wilson, whose sons Samuel and Tyler have joined All Stars Cricket, said the ECB initiative was a massive boost to sport in the area.
“As a family we enjoy the cricket season and it’s great that they are getting involved.
“It’s really friendly. My kids are getting to know the rules of cricket in a fun way.
“All Stars cricket is excellent for St Ishmaels. It’s a very small village club but with lots of children in the surrounding areas.”
With the support of Cricket Wales, local schools, businesses and clubs, word about All Stars Cricket and cricket sessions for other age groups has spread.
For £40 children get an hour’s week coaching per week over an eight-week period from fully trained and vetted organisers delivering game-based basic cricket skills - catching, throwing and hitting moving balls and promoting team work and communication.
On registering for All Stars Cricket each child will get branded kit including a cricket bat, ball, shirt, cap, backpack and water bottle.
Parents can register their child by going to allstarscricket.co.uk