'Street cricket' a big hit with youngsters

THERE were runs galore as the City Academy hosted a national street cricket competition.

The fast and furious Street20 finals – part of the Lord's Taverners Cricket for Change programme – saw 13 teams battle it out in the shortened form of the game.

Street cricket is usually played indoors and involves two teams of six, with innings of 20 balls per side.

Hitting the side walls or back walls scores one run, while hitting the "run" wall scores four, or a six if the ball has not bounced.

Five Bristol teams took part – Knowle A and B, Lockleaze A and B, and Bedminster.

Lockleaze player Arran McLean smashed 41 runs in his first few matches.

The 15-year-old, who plays club cricket for Bristol West Indies as well, said: "It doesn't matter if we win – we're having fun and that's what it's all about.

"It's a good experience because not everyone can play cricket where they live."

Sky Teale, 11, and Shakur Preddie, nine, were also enjoying the competition.

Sky said: "I've only been playing cricket a month but I really like it."

The Street20 cricket initiative is aiming to transform the lives of 7,500 youngsters living in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the UK, where cricket is often not an option. The finals day also involved teams from Birmingham, Newcastle, Essex and Sussex, with Avon and Somerset police, Avon Fire and Rescue and the city council hosting educational workshops on issues such as stop and search legislation, knife crime and drug abuse.

The final was won by Portslade from Sussex, who beat a team from Newcastle.

Neil Maggs, from the Street Games Network, oversees the 10 street cricket projects across Bristol.

He said: "Something like this is really good because it is giving these kids access to a sport where traditionally, in their communities, they have not been able to get involved. It is a great way of using cricket for community cohesion and social change."

Lord's Taverners chief executive Matthew Patten said: "The Cricket for Change Programme is about unlocking the social benefits sport can deliver, helping some of our most marginalised young people develop as individuals and transform their lives and the communities they live in."