Children from Stroud schools to compete in world's largest cricket festival

Around 200 children will grace the famous Cheltenham College ground as part of the 2017 Gloucestershire year five and six primary school kwik cricket finals day.

Chalford Hill and Lakefield will compete in the mixed event, with Rosary taking part in the girls competition.

There will be 14 teams including last year’s champions and serial winners Christchurch Downend taking part in the mixed or open event after winning their respective district festivals, held at cricket grounds across the county.

The girls’ event seven teams have reached finals’ day after qualifying from their local events. 2016 runners-up Cam Everlands will be hoping to go one better in the absence of any of the other semi-finalists from last year.

In previous years Gloucestershire Cricket professional players including captain Gareth Roderick and Matt Taylor have attended, with a number of their team mates set to be there again.

The five and six finals day is the biggest event in the Gloucestershire Cricket Board’s (GCB) education programme.

As well as running indoor and outdoor cricket festivals the Board currently provides coaching sessions in nearly 200 schools across both primary and secondary through its Education Offer and through funding from the Chance to Shine cricket charity.

GCB projects and programmes manager Chris Munden – who organizes Gloucestershire’s schools programme - said: “We believe that giving children the chance to play cricket competitively is one of the key factors in helping to spark a lifelong love of the game in them which is way these events are so important.

“More than 1500 kids have taken part in the district rounds of the year five and six kwik cricket competition culminating in the 21 teams competing on Friday.

“Kwik cricket finals’ day is always a highlight of the year. Seeing so many children with smiles on their faces, playing on the famous College Ground is a wonderful sight.”