Milo T20 cricket, Trae Cronin (Tamworth South) watches on as Westdale’s Tyler Knight winds up for a big hit during yesterday’s T20 School Blast day in Tamworth yesterday. Photo: Geoff O'Neill 120912GOA01
CRICKET is blasting its way into schools through a new initiative.
Yesterday Tamworth primary schools got involved in the T20 Milo Blast School Cup.
The program is being rolled out nation-wide and is about mass participation, Central North development manager Kathy Barber said.
“T20 blast is a game designed by Cricket Australia to fill the gap between Milo In2Cricket and playing junior cricket,” he said.
The target age is kids in Year 3 through to years 8 or 9.
“It’s about having fun, learning skills and being involved in a game that is not stagnant,” Barber said.
The concept is a fast game and where everyone gets to have a go at everything.
“It’s eight-a-side, and everyone bats, bowls and wicket-keeps,” Barber said.
“And kids have to retire on 20.”
Westdale, Tamworth South, Nemingha and St Ed’s all entered teams in yesterday’s gala day.
“We’ve got 10 teams all up, six boys teams and four girls teams,” Barber said.
The four girls played each other and then the top two played a final.
The boys was just a straight round robin with the top team after that declared the winner. Yesterday was part of something of a regional roadshow with Gunnedah running their version today and Inverell tomorrow.
On Tuesday it was Armidale’s turn.
Barber also ran a similar day in Quirindi earlier in the term and will be up at Moree next week. “What the objective is at this time of year, is to get schools engaged in cricket prior to the Tamworth kicking off the season in Term 4,” he said.
The same goes for the other centres.