7 Jun 2015 | Cricket
There's been an outbreak of Ashes Fever in schools across Wales as those working closely with Glamorgan Cricket as part of the Ashes Partner Schools Project have spent the past few weeks putting the finishing touches to their work and displays ahead of the opening Investec Ashes Test, starting at Cardiff on July 8th .
The Ashes Partner Schools Project has involved pupils from primary and secondary schools throughout Wales prepare material on a number of themes, including a celebration of cricket in the Principality. This has been the strand which pupils at Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera have explored over the course of the past few months, culminating in the production of a short, bilingual video, containing interviews with youngsters at the school who play cricket, as well as the creation of a short poem about the meaning of the Ashes.
As Ricky Morgan, the teacher in charge of the project at Ystalyfera explained Over the past four months, a group of Year 7 pupils have been studying both the history of the Ashes and also further developing their understanding of the game of cricket. This followed their visit to the SWALEC Stadium in February where the pupils had a fascinating Stadium Tour plus a lively skills drills session within the National Cricket Centre.
The twenty pupils involved in the Ashes Partner Schools Project have undertaken a wide variety of work from reading and understanding the Ashes rivalry, to analysing the profile of Welsh cricket. Being a Welsh-speaking school with a strong Welsh tradition, the pupils felt it was important that they also understood the current state of Welsh cricket.
The main focus has been the growth of the game in Wales, and looking at past legends of Welsh cricket such as Robert Croft was very inspiring. This led to some very creative artwork being produced and we were delighted that Robert was able to make a visit and to personally congratulate the pupils, especially Megan Havard, on their outstanding work.
Involvement with this Project has proven to be invaluable in the promotion of Welsh cricket and sustaining the future of the game. Half of the pupils involved had not played for a club in the past, and they are all now considering joining their local team this coming summer.
The video which we have produced begins with a journey from the Welsh mountains to its roots at a local club, and at our school where current pupils share their thoughts about playing cricket and what makes it so enjoyable and important to them. The narrative also includes a short poem written by the students summarising the struggle, pride and passion of Welsh cricket, based on the journey of a cricket ball through the history of our country and how its arrived at the SWALEC Stadium to face the opposition. Overall, it is a very patriotic poem encapsulating, in their words, cricket in Wales.
In addition, the pupils from Ystalyfera who have taken part in the Ashes Partner Schools Project will be helping form the Guard of Honour as well as appearing in the Opening Ceremony, alongside other pupils from schools involved in the Project, on the first day of the Test Match itself on Wednesday, July 8th
As Ricky Morgan said, this will be a fantastic way for the pupils to round off their involvement in what has been a fantastic project working with the Community Department at Glamorgan Cricket. To be a part of one of the greatest sporting events on the planet is an experience that our pupils will never forget.
Click below to watch the film produced by the pupils of YGG Ystalyfera