Primary school children swat up with the bat

The event was organised by Staffordshire Cricket as part of their Chance to Shine programme with nine teams battling it out at Fordhouses Cricket Club.

Staffordshire's England women's international Danni Wyatt took time out from her build-up to this summer's Ashes clash with Australia to join in the fun and pass on a few tips.

Merridale and St Bartholomew were the star turns. as they topped their respective groups with perfect records to book their place in the area final at Wolverhampton on Monday.

After finishing as runners-up, Dunstall Hill and St Thomas CE will join them at Danescourt.

That's where the schools will be looking to progress to the Staffordshire final and then, hopefully, through to a grand final, which is usually staged at one of the first-class county grounds.

The competition has proved a smash hit with youngsters as has the various coaching sessions that take place throughout schools across Staffordshire as part of the Chance to Shine programme.

Wolverhampton's former Bank of England governor Lord Mervyn King co-founded Chance to Shine with broadcaster Mark Nicholas and Worcestershire-based bat manufacturer Duncan Fearnley in 2005.

The programme was aimed at reversing the decline of cricket in state schools.

Fewer than 10 per cent of them were playing any form of competitive cricket and the country's traditional summer sport was at risk of dying out.

Staffordshire performance and pathway coach Chris Guest was on hand to oversee proceedings at Fordhouses and has been bowled over by the success of the programme.

He said: "This is the tenth year of the Chance to Shine Programme and it's been a massive success, both locally and nationally.

"There is also funding there for the next three years so hopefully it will continue to grow and more and more youngsters will start to play the game.

"Staffordshire send coaches into 120 schools across the county and the sessions we put on how been well received.

"At my club, Fordhouses, we have had quite a few children join after playing in the Kwik Cricket tournament or as a result of coaches going into schools.

"A lot of schools don't teach cricket and this is a way of introducing youngsters to the game.

"We have quite a bit planned for National Cricket Week later this month. We will be going into schools and using cricket to help educate children."

As well as overseeing Staffs' ventures into the local schools, Guest is facing a busy summer as he continues to climb the coaching ladder as he aims to play a part in an Ashes triumph this summer.

Guest, who is the head coach for Staffordshire's senior ladies side, is working with Wyatt and the England women's team as they prepare to tackle the Aussies.