More than 2,000 children across Gloucestershire have signed up for this year’s All Stars Cricket programme ahead of its launch tonight – 700 more than in 2017.

The first sessions get under way today at some of the 67 Gloucestershire clubs who are running the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) scheme for 5-8-year-olds in 2018.

The number of All Stars clubs in the county has risen from 43 last year and the 2,000-plus sign-ups means Gloucestershire has the third highest number of participants in the country in after Wales and Yorkshire.

As a result the Gloucestershire Cricket Board (GCB) has trained up more than 150 new All Stars ‘activators’ to run sessions. GCB staff have also been promoting the scheme through coaching sessions and assemblies in more than 200 schools thanks to its Chance to Shine programme.

GCB projects and programmes manager Chris Munden said: “The launch on 11th May is the culmination of a lot of hard work behind the scenes over the last few months. It is fantastic to see how our clubs are relishing the chance to get started and the number of children that are signing up is fantastic.”

All Stars Cricket includes eight weeks of coaching with the focus on having fun and making friends. All girls and boys are welcome, and each registered child will receive a pack of cricket goodies including a cricket bat, ball, backpack, water bottle, personalised shirt and cap to keep, so that they can continue their love of cricket when they go home. Children who were involved in 2017 will receive different kit in year two including a set of stumps.

If you would like your son/daughter to take part you can still sign up by going to https://www.ecb.co.uk/play/all-stars and searching for your nearest centre by entering your post code.

Of the 67 Gloucestershire clubs taking part, 24 are running the programme for the first time. These include Tetbury who are using the programme to start a youth section from scratch.

Another new club for 2018 is Cam who with more than 80 sign-ups are second only to Downend for the number of children involved. Other Gloucestershire clubs boasting high numbers include Cirencester (75) and Hawkesbury Upton (62) who are also running the scheme for the first time.

Munden said: “It has been great to see clubs of all different sizes getting involved and embracing the opportunity to run a programme. From traditional big clubs with established youth sections, to small village clubs starting a junior section for the first time, our clubs have really got behind it.

“Everything is in place and it is really exciting to think that more than 2000 5-8-year-olds in Gloucestershire are set to have a brilliant first experience of cricket through All Stars this summer.”

For any information about All Stars Cricket in Gloucestershire, contact chris.munden@glosccc.co.uk or call 07557 924941.