Three fiercely-contested cricket competitions have been held this month for South Bradford’s under-nine and under-11 year olds.

Organised by South Bradford School Sport Partnership, 290 youngsters from 14 primary schools attended the Year Four Drax Open, the under-11 Kwik Cricket for girls and the under-11 Open Kwik Cricket competitions.

With assistance from a Yorkshire County Cricket Club coach, competitors showed their skills by hitting many boundaries.

The youngsters were also given direct links to and in-formation about local clubs to aid them in their future cricketing path.

Cluster competitions preceded the South Bradford finals.

Primary Schools in the Drax competition were Home Farm, Wibsey, Bankfoot, St Matthew’s, St Anthony’s, Newhall Park, Hollingwood and All Saints.

After a thundering performance throughout, All Saints won and will be invited to play in the West Yorkshire final at Pudsey St Lawrence Cricket Club on Tuesday, June 21.

Claire Caunce, partnership development manager for South Bradford School Sports Partnership, based at Tong High School, said: “The high calibre of our young people in competitions such as this really demonstrates the need for the development that the School Sport Partnership offers.”

The under-11 girls’ and under-11 Open competitions involved 19 teams from Home Farm, Wibsey, St Matthew’s, Newhall Park, All Saints, Woodside, Bankfoot, Marshfield, St Anthony’s, Hollingwood, St John’s CE, St Stephen’s CE and St Columba’s.

Wibsey won both categories and will progress to the Bradford finals at Saltaire Cricket Club on Friday, June 17.

As a result of collaboration between South Bradford SSP, the Yorkshire Cricket Board and local cricket clubs, all children who attended the event went away with souvenirs of the day, including hats, mugs, t-shirts and writing equipment so they could return to school and make a journal of their memories of the event and the day.

Final thanks should go to Tong High School for hosting all three competitions, to Bradford College sports students for volunteering to umpire and to all the children who participated for showing outstanding sportsmanship.