The charity getting state school kids into cricket
Chance to Shine celebrates as the eight-millionth child passes through one of its cricket programmes.
Chance to Shine has celebrated getting eight million children playing cricket over the past 21 years [BBC] An 11-year-old girl has become the eighth-millionth child to take part in a charity programme to get state school children into cricket. Chance to Shine celebrated the milestone alongside Ava, the pupil in question, during a visit to her school, John Henry Newman Academy in Oxford, this week. To mark the occasion, the school had a cricket takeover including special PE lessons and a visit from up-and-coming English fast bowler Sonny Baker .
Baker, who plays for Hampshire in the County Championship, said: "I just love the energy they [the kids] bring - they're all so excited to be here. " "It's been great fun and just reminds you why you play the game and why you originally got into cricket - just to have fun and enjoy it with your mates," he said. English fast bowler Sonny Baker presented Ava with a shirt signed by the national team [BBC] Baker explained that it had been at state school where he was encouraged to try cricket, before playing competitively for the first time in a Chance to Shine tournament.
"My first cricket coaches were my maths teachers and I thought maths was going to be more my cup of tea," he said. "But they got me into cricket originally and that's where it all started - so who knows what might have happened. " Also visiting the school was local MP Dame Anneliese Dodds said: "I think it's really important that all children and young people have got access to sport.
" "What everyone can understand is the joy of cricket, the fun you can have and the fact that everyone can have a go - it really is a sport for everyone," she said. "Quite often children might not be seeing cricket in the way that they might see football for example on the tv - so let's hope that they are inspired and that they can keep going and enjoying cricket in the future. " Baker also joined in with students to play some cricket-based games [BBC] Chance to Shine was first established in 2005, and is supported by the England and Wales Cricket Board.