Bradford-born Adil Rashid has lent his support to a scheme aiming to bring cricket to a third of all schools in England and Wales.

The junior form of the game - other than at club level - has largely been the preserve of private rather than state schools over the years.

But the Chance to Shine scheme, run by the Cricket Foundation, is all about changing that.

With the help of an estimated £25 million in voluntary donations, matched by government funding, the project aims to give youngsters the chance to play the game, irrespective of background.

Yorkshire all-rounder Rashid - who never played cricket when he was a pupil at state-run Belle Vue Boys School in Heaton - visited a four-day summer camp being held by Pudsey St Lawrence in conjunction with the scheme.

Despite suffering from a nagging cold, 19-year-old Rashid was happy to deliver coaching tips to a group of around 50 youngsters overflowing with enthusiasm.

He said: "I have never done this before but I can't believe how eager the kids are to learn. It is great that these youngsters are getting the chance to show what they are made of and for me to be able to do this in the Bradford/Leeds area makes it more special."

Dominic O'Reilly - head of communications at the Cricket Foundation - summed up the philosophy of the scheme, saying: "It is about breaking down any perception that cricket is a posh sport. Cricket is for boys and girls of all faiths and ethnicities."

Rashid's Yorkshire team-mate Matthew Hoggard, from Baildon, is another who has lent his support to the project.

"Having the support of people like Adil and Matthew inspires the kids and shows that cricketers at all levels are behind the Chance to Shine scheme," said O'Reilly.

"All the cricketers who have helped out have been fantastic and have never asked for a penny in expenses."

Those behind the scheme are keen to promote the competitive element of the game and to that end, kids attending the camps take on the Allianz Skills Challenge - an all-round test of their batting, bowling and fielding capabilities.

As an England and Wales Cricket Board focus club, Pudsey St Lawrence have been given funds - £5,500 per year for three years - to help implement the Chance to Shine goals.

They have linked up with Farsley-based Priesthorpe Specialist Sports College to deliver coaching programmes in primary and secondary schools and the camp was an extension of that. First-team players Mark Robertshaw and Tom Stray were among the coaches helping out.

Lawrence chairman Chris Gott said: "We have been going into schools for the last two or three years off our own back but the Chance to Shine scheme has taken things to another level."

Rashid's trip to Pudsey was also a chance for the youngster - who played for England Lions last month - to take a breather before the race for the county championship title reaches its critical phase.

After carrying on where he left off following his sensational start to his Yorkshire career last season, the leg-spinner had hit a lean time with the ball but has come back into form at just the right time.

Starting with the Roses match at home to Lancashire on Thursday, Yorkshire have five crucial games left as they aim to win the title they last won in 2001.

And the good news is that Rashid is available for all the run-in. It looked as if he might have to play for England under-19s against Pakistan but the selectors reversed their decision after criticism from Yorkshire coach Martyn Moxon, who argued that Rashid would be facing much stronger opposition playing county cricket.

Rashid said: "I will be playing a better standard against more experienced players such as Stuart Law, Brad Hodge and Muttiah Muralitharan."