ELEVEN youngsters from Blaina cricket club formed a guard of honour for the teams from Glamorgan and Somerset taking the field in the final group game of the T20 Blast series.

The game was won by Glamorgan which ensured they advanced to the quarter final of the competition.

The offer to be guard of honour was made by Dr Andrew Hignell the historian and statistician of Glamorgan, a good friend of Blaina C C.

It was agreed to accept the offer which was seen as a reward for the children who had worked so hard training at cricket during the summer term.

It is no secret that all local sport, including cricket, is suffering because of lack of youngsters taking up the game. Blaina decided to act, and with the support of the three local junior schools, Ystruth, Coed-y Garn and the Welsh primary, the club held coaching sessions during the summer term. These sessions were supervised and run by the club's Schools Welfare Officer, Gillian Crandon, and Josh Hughes, one of the club coaches. They were supported by Alan Williams, club chairman, Graham Rowlands, club president, and Chris Sutton, first team captain.

Through these sessions the club introduced 24 youngsters to the game of cricket and unearthed some very committed and talented children who are keen to progress with the sport. There may be a future Alistair Cooke or Charlotte Edwards among them?

The guard of honour was a great success and the children and their parents thoroughly enjoyed the game.

The club thanks Glamorgan for the opportunity to take part, and Aswani sports for supplying the kit, which the children wore with great pride and distinction.

A small step, perhaps, but the club intends forming a schools committee next year, and as well as following the progress of the current crop of youngsters, it is intended to coach older children in secondary schools.

The club have already established a link with Abertillery Comprehensive School to take this forward.