B I G - H I T T I N G Herefordshire cricketers will tonight have the chance to emulate England’s World Twenty20 heroes.

A six-hitting competition for adult and junior players is taking place at Widemarsh Common in Hereford.

The ‘Six in the City’ event is open to everyone who wants to turn up and have a bat.

The distance of each shot will be measured and then spot prizes awarded to the evening’s leading performers.

The initiative, which starts at 6pm, is being organised by the Herefordshire Cricket Board who promote and develop schools, youth and club cricket in the county.

It follows hot on the heels of the ECB Cricket Factory Roadshow Tour which rolled into High Town for the first time last weekend.

A flexible tour rig gave youngsters an opportunity to experience batting, bowling, throwing and catching.

Glyn Harrhy, who played for Hay and Talgarth, is Herefordshire’s cricket development officer.

“All equipment will be provided and, if Six in the City is a success, we will run another one next Thursday (June 3.).

“There could be people who have never before played cricket, who might like to come along and have a go.”

Harrhy is based in the board’s cricket development office at Leominster’s Bridge Street Sports Centre.

The all-rounder, who now captains Brecon, is responsible for women and girls’ cricket and disability cricket in Herefordshire.

Four clubs in the county - Kington, Colwall, Bartestree & Lugwardine, Ross-on-Wye - have become hubs for women’s and girls’ cricket.

“Disability and women’s and girls cricket is a big theme at the moment,” said Harrhy.

“Colwall are the only club in the county with a senior women’s cricket team and they play in the Gloucestershire League.

“Therese Warwick is doing good things at Ross and Ross have got an under-11 girls’ side in a hard ball league.

“Both our county agegroup girls’ sides are playing friendlies at the moment - out of national competition.”

Around 25 county primary schools are involved in the Chance to Shine project, a national scheme which encourages cricket in schools.

It is the biggest schoolsport development initiative in the UK and gives opportunities to boys and girls.

Cricket in primary schools is based around Kwik Cricket and supported through the Chance to Shine scheme.

Former Kington stalwart Ed Price, who is now involved with Brockhampton, is the Herefordshire Cricket Board’s lead coach.

Herefordshire are in the second year of an emerging players’ programme with their talented male players.

Two of those - Colwall duo Will Barrett and Joe Crichard - are now involved with the Worcestershire programme.

Clifton College’s Barrett, an under-16, and Crichard, an under-15with funding from Herefordshire Cricket Board.

“We are very pleased to have a good relationship with Worcestershire,”

said Price.

Another young player from Herefordshire, 20- year-old Ben Stebbings, is now playing first-class cricket for Oxford MCCU.

The former Hereford Cathedral School pupil has already played against Hampshire and Northamptonshire.

Eleven clubs in theClubs and have secured ECB Clubmark status.

The Focus Clubs are Bartestree & Lugwardine, Burghill & Tillington, Brockhampton, Colwall, Eastnor, Luctonians, Bromyard, Ross, Wormelow, Hereford City and Kington.

Marden and Canon Frome have been identified as clubs with emerging junior sections, while Burghill is the centre for disability cricket in Herefordshire.

The Herefordshire Cricket Board have completed an audit of all clubs’ playing facilities in the county.

“Herefordshire is probably 15 to 20 years behind the other counties in terms of facilities,”

said Price, who spent 40 years with Kington.

“This is due to a significant lack of funding but the standard of cricket, and particularly the junior cricket, is thriving.

“We are also very advanced in terms of people putting in much good work but the facilities are a problem and the city, itself, has very few facilities for cricket.”

The audit highlighted the need for more nonturf practice pitches - many cricket clubs in Herefordshire do not have net facilities on their grounds.

Wormelow and Burghill have had new nets installed, while Colwall are the next club in line.

Price praised the progress of Ross-on-Wye Cricket Club, particularly over the last 10 years.

The south Herefordshire club now run eight junior teams and have more than 20 qualified coaches.

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