The Calthorpe Ground club have big plans for their colts section and want to get more local youngsters involved in the sport

Crouch End Cricket Club hosted a taster colts session on Saturday and new head of colts cricket Pratik Patel was delighted with the success of the event.

The Middlesex County League Division Three outfit have some big plans for their youth section over the next few years, with last weekend’s session being just the start.

Patel, and a team of coaches, have been busy coming up with various ways to get more children from Crouch End and other local areas into cricket and Saturday’s idea worked a treat.

Around 50 youngsters were in attendance and enjoyed being put through their paces by six ECB qualified coaches who have joined the north London club.

When reflecting on the success of the day, head of colts cricket Patel said: “Saturday was just a taster, but it was fantastic and we have signed up 20 new colts for this year and the season hasn’t even started yet!

“What we are focusing on with the kids is just to have fun and enjoy cricket and that’s the same for both children and adults at Crouch End CC.

“In terms of what has changed at the club, we have brought in six qualified ECB coaches to support our coaching set-up and it is there to help kids in the area.

“We want to help build the confidence of the children, work on their discipline and give them exposure to working in teams and to provide a good fundamental health and fitness hub for them to come along to in the summer holidays and keep at it.

“That was the idea for Saturday and to have recruited 20 new junior cricketers is brilliant as well.”

Patel was quick to pay tribute to Lakshmi Hewavisenti, Suzie Zubar and Tracy Morrell for the “hard work and effort they have put in to get the colts section to where it is right now.”

The Calthorpe Ground club, who were established in 1874, are now looking to get their name out there even more and spent plenty of time trying to do just that this time last week.

“What helped us get so many people to the taster session on Saturday was some of our first-team players distributing adverts and leaflets in Crouch End before the event,” said Patel.

“I think we distributed around 2,500 adverts and leaflets to roughly 1,500 houses and we were on the street handing them out so we had great fun doing that.”

The colts also had a brilliant time on Saturday and it seems just the start for Crouch End CC.

For more information on how to join Crouch End CC, who have teams ranging from under-five coltd all the way to six senior sides who play at weekends, email crouchendcricket@gmail.com or call Pratik Patel on 07861 533 553.