Girls Cricket gets a boost in Liverpool as LCF lead Hubs

Twenty five girls from across Merseyside have taken part in an 11 week girls cricket programme for state-school educated children. This winter Lancashire Cricket Foundation have managed four MCC Foundation Cricket Hubs in Liverpool, for boys and girls. To qualify players must be state school educated and not part of the County Age Group pathway. 

 Liverpool Hub Manager Greg Pennington has led the four groups through an intensive midweek training programme in the city supported by coach Pip Roots, Phil Rose, Paul Morris & Hope Anderson. Also across the county Hubs have been taking place in Blackburn, Bolton, Manchester, Darwen and Nelson. 

 The Liverpool Girls hub, held at King David School in Liverpool, has enjoyed some really success stories – with the programme opened up to new players, schools, clubs and communities. Trials for the Hub were held in Bootle in December, and the group was boosted by a Lancashire Cricket Foundation recruitment drive, through schools cricket programmes and community programmes. Two girls with no experience of cricket have joined, seven other directly from Merseyside school nominations and players from ten different cricket clubs were recruited. 

 Meanwhile St Francis Xavier’s College is hosting MCC Liverpool Boys Hubs, with Under 14s & 16s groups. In total 87 players applied to take part, with two squads of 16 selected following trials in Bootle. 

 Fixtures have been arranged for all four groups in the forthcoming season including games against local clubs and other MCC Foundation Hubs nearby. Several boys and girls have been identify for future cricket opportunities within the Lancashire Cricket Player Pathway.