Since 24th October 2019, our U12 Wicketz programme – delivered in partnership with Lord’s Taverners – has been running at Springburn Leisure Centre. All teams have played 9 matches each, culminating in Finals Day on 23rd January.
Winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Springburn posted 63 runs in the first innings before bowling Pollockshields out for 46 to end the tournament unbeaten and take the grand prize on Finals Day.
In addition to the cricket, Police Scotland was in attendance with their No Knives Better Lives workshop which aims to tackle the challenging issues young children face in areas of deprivation.
Cricket Scotland would like to thank Mr Javaid Sattar from YCSA for providing transportation, Mr Mubasher Khan from Mint Pharmacy for donating the venue costs for the Finals Day and Strawberry Garden for providing fruit throughout the tournament.
Speaking of the programme, Nauman Javaid said: “In Springburn, we’ve got kids from China, where cricket is totally unknown, and from African countries. It’s not just the traditional Asian cricketing countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
“It’s not just about cricket, though. These kids love to play but we also run workshops about issues they are facing in the community, things like drugs, alcohol, gangs and street crime.
“We look at the negative effects of getting involved in the wrong things, and the positive effects of being involved in sport. And the kids have responded really well.”
You can find out more about how we’re using Wicketz to drive social inclusion in Glasgow here.
Wicketz is a cricket programme initially aimed at young people aged 8-19, living in areas with high levels of poverty. It provides year-round weekly cricket sessions as well as workshops that teach vital life skills. It breaks down barriers. With the support of partners such as the Home Office and police forces, it tackles some of the most challenging social issues faced by young people in the UK.
