If early indications are anything to go by, cricket is thriving amongst junior players in Canterbury.

Canterbury Cricket's director of coaching and development Richard Hayward said today, the interest and enthusiasm generated by the opening of the Canterbury Cricket Association's new offices and indoor centre appeared to have transferred onto the playing fields if numbers attending the Association's recent holiday programmes was a guideline.

Almost 200 children, an increase of 50 percent on last year's attendance, ranging in ages from eight to 16, attended the specialist skills clinics held over three days at Hagley Park. The skills relating to wicket-keeping, spin and pace bowling and batting were coached by several of the CCA coaches including Chris Martin, Michael Papps, Gareth Hopkins, Carl Anderson and Sarah Helmore.

"The MILO Have-A-Go day attracted a record turnout, also at Hagley Park, giving the five to seven-year-olds, who had never played cricket before, a taste of the game. The CCA coaches ran skill stations for batting, bowling and fielding followed by modified games that kept the children active for nearly two hours," he said.

The MILO Trophy, a recently introduced part of the CCA Development programme for Year Five and Year Six children has six extra teams entered this season. This competition is aimed at providing an avenue for cricket to be played among players who are not always involved with club teams on Saturdays but enjoy playing the game.

"There are also encouraging signs from a coaching perspective," Hayward said.

A Level One course was held in Westport earlier in the month, which attracted 11 candidates. Further Level One courses are to be held in Christchurch and Timaru in November.

"There has also been an encouraging increase in the number of coaches who have been trained for the MILO Kiwi and Have-A-Go programmes It is still early in the season, but the number of children who have registered for the MILO Kiwi cricket centres around the Canterbury region has already shown an increase on last season's figures," he said.

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