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All roads lead to Stormont for the North West schools winners – Cricket Ireland’s North West Development Officer Brian Allen reports on the fun-filled mini-cricket Finals Days.
Over the past few months schools throughout the North West have been taking part in various forms of cricket. In the build-up to the Summer term this year many schools have been taking part in mini cricket festivals throughout the region; this version also known as ‘Kwik-Cricket’ has proved a great tool to increase participation.

This form of the game is regionalised into Council Area Finals Days where each school in each district is invited along to their area’s final to compete for the top spot. Again this year all-boys and all-girls tournaments were organised in Strabane, Limavady, Fermanagh, Coleraine, Donegal and Londonderry.

Although weather conditions got the better of us on a couple of occasions there was still lots of mini cricket played throughout the region. With the competitions in L’Derry & Limavady being beaten by the elements the first tournament to take place was in Strabane, where Domemana Primary school came out top team in both the girls and the boys competitions.

Coleraine mini cricket was next on the agenda where Millburn primary took the boys honours and two days later their girls arrived to claim their spot as girls champs for 2014.

With Cricket being less established in areas of Donegal and Fermanagh, coupled with the fact that schools are vastly different in size, these tournaments were comprised of mixed school teams to maximise the potential for greater enjoyment of all involved.

Throughout these tournaments alone in the North West we expect to see no less than 400 participants taking part, with many more participants in schools unable to attend with calendar clashes etc. The concepts of these tournaments are purely driven to increase participation in cricket and expose the game of cricket/cricket clubs to children who otherwise wouldn’t get the opportunity.

These North West winners now make their way to Stormont on 18th June 2014 to compete for the title of Northern Ireland Champions.

Participation numbers in these competitions are undoubtedly growing in the schools and we now have the opportunity to offer this competition to the clubs in an event which coincides with the Inter-Provincial T20 Series in Bready on Sunday 6th July. There will be a club Under 11 mini cricket competition providing the opportunity to encourage young cricketers to compete in a softball version of the game and represent the club in a fun filled family day. To register a team please contact brian.allen@cricketireland.ie or 07585774300

Please bear in mind that places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.