17 Jun 2015 | Cricket
Hundreds of Welsh schoolchildren will be taking part in cricketing activities in Cardiff during the course of the coming days as part of National Cricket Week, just a fortnight ahead of the opening Investec Ashes Test between England and Australia in the Welsh capital starting on July 8th.
Whilst primary schoolchildren will be playing in a KwikCricket tournament organised by the Urdd in the grounds of Cardiff Castle, around 500 pupils from primary and secondary schools across South and Mid Wales will be visiting the SSE SWALEC to watch Glamorgan meet Leicestershire in the LV=County Championship.
The first day of the four-day game will see pupils and staff from Caerleon Comprehensive School, Gilwern Primary School, St.John the Baptist Primary School in Aberdare, plus a party from Severnbanks Primary School from Lydney in attendance besides playing on the outfield at the SSE SWALEC at lunchtime and then forming a Guard of Honour when the teams return to the field after the lunch break.
On the other three days of the match, groups from Eveswell Primary School in Newport, Llanbedr Primary School from Brecon, Bettws Primary School in Bridgend, Clyro Primary School from Powys and Ysgol Bro Edyrn will also be at Glamorgan's headquarters and undertaking the same activities, alongside three of the Ashes Partner Schools - Ystalyfera Comprehensive School, Rhiwbeina Primary School and Thornhill Primary School - who have each been undertaking a range of learning activities with staff from Glamorgan's Community Department ahead of the England-Australia Test Match.
Pupils from the Ashes Partner Schools Project will also be assisting with the Opening Ceremony and the daily Guards of Honour, besides playing on the outfield during the lunch intervals at the England-Australia. The Project has been a huge hit amongst those schools who have assisted Glamorgan Cricket in the preparation of material with an Ashes-based theme. As Richard Thomas, Headmaster of Ysgol Pencae, another of the Project's schools said, one of our key targets during the course of the past few years has been the improvement of literacy skills of boys, and these proposals during the Ashes summer and beyond have presented a fantastic opportunity for us to meet these targets, and to make a decisive improvement to the academic progress of all of our pupils.
For the other schools attending the SSE SWALEC during National Cricket Week, the pupils and their teachers will get an opportunity to watch play in the four-day match, besides having a series of skills drills with members of Glamorgan Cricket's coaching team in the National Cricket Centre. For many of the youngsters, it will be their first time at a county cricket match, and to also get a chance to play on the outfield and form a Guard of Honour, it will give the boys and girls a never-to-be-forgotten opportunity, and one which will encourage them to play and follow the game in the future.
Glamorgan Cricket plan to involve these schools, as well as other primary and secondary schools across Wales, in a number of forthcoming projects and activities in the course of the coming months. If you would like your school to be involved with Glamorgan Cricket, or would like further information about the exciting range of educational opportunities, please ring 02920 419383 or send an email to museum@glamorgancricket.co.uk.