The Monkey Tree

Cricket is loads of fun for young boys and girls of all ages, but particularly for those age 7 and over,  playing for the first time. The best introduction to the game is to play Kwik cricket, with brightly coloured stumps and bats, usually blue or yellow, and a soft orange ball.

Don’t Get Stumped for something to do this Summer – play Cricket!  says Phil Mitchell.

Under the watchful eye of trained coaches, children are taught the basics about cricket with the emphasis on having fun and everybody having a go.  The children’s safety and protection is important to us and with the sun shining (don’t forget their hats and sunscreen!) everyone will have a great time.

After a fun warm up session, the main things the children will be taught are catching, bowling, batting and fielding.  Each activity has its own set of drills and every child has a chance to participate.  Everyone in the team is very important and we welcome lots of encouragement for all the boys and girls.

The children always want a game at the end of the session so we make up even teams and bat in pairs for a set number of balls together.  The fielders rotate and everyone gets a chance to bat, bowl and field.  Its great fun.  At the end we all gather in a circle to hear the coach sum up the session and have a well earned drink of squash - made by the Mums & Dads!

Other cricket initiatives being promoted by the English Cricket Board include ‘Chance To Shine’ – a charity with the aim of promoting cricket in state schools and ‘Urban Cricket’ – the chance to play the game anytime, anywhere, with 60,000 Urban Cricket kits being made available to youngsters across the UK.

If cricket sounds like a fun activity for your youngster why not give Phil a call at Buckhurst Hill Cricket Club on 020 8502 4319 or contact one of the other clubs in your area listed below:

Ilford Cricket Club (6 years +)
Boys and Girls
Training Friday evenings
020 8554 8381

Loughton Cricket Club
The Uplands
Cliff Greenhill - 020 8502 2064
www.loughtoncc.hitscricket.com

Nazeing Common Cricket Club (5 years +)
Nazeing Common (opposite Sun Inn)
Boys and girls training Tues and Friday evening

Paul Johnson, Senior coach on 07808 159 245
Darren Dack, Welfare Officer/coach 07852 335 999

This year Nazeing CC celebrates its 125th anniversary. Anniversary day celebrations include lunch, matches with past and present players and a tour planned for later in the year – contact the club for details.

Roding Valley Cricket Club (6 years +)
River Playing Fields, Bradwell Road
Buckhurst Hill
Mike Curtis – 020 8281 0391
www.rodingvalley.play-cricket.com

South Loughton Cricket Club (6 years +)
Roding Valley Playing Fields
Andrew Shields – 020 8530 2200
www.southloughton.org.uk

Theydon Bois Cricket Club (All ages)
Buxton Trust Playing Field
Loughton Lane
Peter Gooch – 01992 812 908
  
Wanstead Cricket Club
Overton Road
Len Enoch – 020 8989 5566
www.wanstead.hitscricket.com