Children grab their chance

Mike Gatting trots off for a single after joining in on 'national cricket day'

Thousands of school pupils across England and Wales are today taking part in the inaugural Chance to shine 'national cricket day'.

The Cricket Foundation, an independent charity, offered all 1,850 schools engaged in its 2008 Chance to shine programme a range of cricket and specially-devised classroom activities, from special cricket coaching to unique interactive lessons in numeracy, literacy and citizenship using the stimulus of cricket to support learning.

Moreover, 'national cricket day' is providing a focus for fundraising to help more and more schools to become part of the Chance to shine initiative.

“Through 'national cricket day' we are celebrating what Chance to shine is already achieving,” said the foundation’s director Nick Gandon.

“We are raising the profile of cricket throughout state education, while emphasising that Chance to shine is a charitable campaign dependent on further successful fundraising to accomplish our objectives.”

Chance to shine is already making quite an impact, with almost 100,000 boys and girls taking part in the programme last year and around 10,000 competitive school matches being played. This year the campaign will reach a further 150,000 children in 1,850 schools.

Those are remarkable statistics for a campaign now starting only its third year of operations, but Chance to shine is an ambitious project.

Its ten-year plan is to reach one third of all the nation’s state schools, providing coaching support and new equipment and facilities in a bid to regenerate the playing of competitive cricket in state schools.

The Cricket Foundation needs to raise £25million by 2015 to run the programme, with the Government pledged to match every pound. So far, £15.7millon of private money has been committed but continued financial help is crucial for the success of the campaign.

President of Chance to shine Mervyn King speaks to children on 'national cricket day' outside the Bank of England

“What I have learnt through competitive cricket is invaluable," said Mervyn King, president of Chance to shine and the governor of the Bank of England.

"How to win and how to lose, how to be part of a team and take charge as a captain, how to think through the complex strategies that make cricket special.”

Chance to shine is now working in schools within all 38 English counties. Every school receives 50 hours of coaching from local clubs each summer term and plays a minimum of five matches.

The job of overseeing the delivery of the programme rests with a team of experienced Chance to shine regional managers led by operations director Wasim Khan - the former Warwickshire and Sussex batsman.

“I’m delighted by the progress we’ve made in the last three years” said Khan. “Chance to shine has been enthusiastically welcomed by clubs and schools and we’re on our way to creating a strong cricket culture in those schools.”

England Test captain Michael Vaughan is a strong supporter of Chance to shine.

"The inclusive nature of cricket ensures everyone can make a positive contribution," he said. "Whether you take a catch, develop your numeracy through scoring, or learn how to work better within a team, cricket can benefit everyone.”

Matthew Hoggard is currently holding his benefit year and Chance to shine is the chosen beneficiary of the England and Yorkshire seamer who has been a champion of the campaign from the start.

Chance to shine is also backed by the Government, through the National Sports Foundation, and all the major cricket organisations including the ECB, MCC, PCA, The Lord’s Taverners and the Barmy Army, as well as commercial and corporate partners such as Allianz, Slazenger and Booz Allen Hamilton.