Harlequins plays host to Cork Primary Schools Cricket Blitz

Cork Harlequins was alive with activity last Saturday as nearly 50 children took part in the inaugural Cork Primary Schools Cricket Blitz.

In glorious sunshine, the children took part in a series of mini-matches on the artificial pitch at the Farmers Cross venue giving them an early taste of competitive cricket.

The event was the brain child of Director of Youth and Coaching for the Munster Cricket Union, Ted Williamson.

The group that took part in the Cork Primary Schools Cricket Blitz. Pic: David Gash

Williamson has set out on a mission to bring the sport to the wider Cork community and has been conducting coaching sessions in primary schools around the city, introducing the sport to 65 children.

In all ten schools were represented on the day, were most of which have never played cricket before Williamson’s coaching sessions. These included: St. Columbus Boys NS, St. Columbus Girls NS, Gael Scol Duglaise, Scoil Chríost Rí, Crab Lane, Scoil Mhuire Lourdes Carrigaline, St. Josephs Glanmire, Gurraneasig NS, Christians and St. Lukes Douglas.

The cricketers were divided into two groups on the day; first to third class and fourth to sixth. The younger group took part in a coaching session before playing a hard fought match. The older group were divided into four teams and played a series of matches against each other.

The event gave each competitor a chance to experience every aspect of a real cricket match, with everyone getting a chance to bat, bowl and field. At the end of the day each cricketer was presented with a medal for competing in blitz.

Speaking after the event, Williamson said, “I was delighted with the support shown from the parents, first of all for making the effort to come but also to participate and create a fantastic atmosphere for the kids to play the games in. It was the first time that 99% of these kids have played in proper cricket matches and it was great to see how quickly the adapted. Even though the teams were mixed from the different schools there was definitely an air of competitiveness around which again added to the occasion.”

He highlighted how cricket has since overcome the social stigma that has accompanied the sport in the past: “For me what was great to see was that there were a lot of kids arrived with GAA tracksuits and hurleys having just come from hurling practise. Cricket certainly did have this stigma attached to it that it was an upper class game but that has long disappeared. I attended the all Irish section of the North Mon and I remember asking Brother Beausang (as

A team discusses tactics at the Cork Primary Schools Cricket Blitz. Pic: David Gash

gaeilge) for a half day to play cricket and he nearly falling off the seat. I don’t think that barrier is there anymore but we have to be proactive right now in introducing as many kids to the game and as young as possible.”

Williamson also mentioned the need for action to secure the future of the game in Cork. “It something that needs to be grown as quickly as possible so we can get to the stage where we have inter-schools competition on a regular basis. In Dublin now they have the Leprechaun Cup which has 38 primary schools competing but I know for a fact that when this originally started there were three schools involved.

“We had Cricket Ireland down recently and the main area identified which needs our complete focus is qualified coaches. We don’t have enough and there needs to be a system where clubs coaches target specific schools in their areas to build a strong school/club link that will maintain a constant flow of kids into the clubs youth set up.”

For pictures from the Cork Primary Schools Cricket Blitz click here.