While things are pretty quite on the women's cricket front New Zealand Cricket's Development Programme is taking off at the grass roots level.

The National Development Programme designed by development manager Alec Astle got underway in February of last year.

Now, just one year into the programme, over 105 MILO Have-A-Go cricket clinics have been set up for boys and girls around the country. The programme has been hugely successful and the main focus is on getting people to play and stay in the game.

The programme has two main objectives. The first is to increase levels of participation in the game extending it to players, parents, teachers, coaches, umpires, scorers and the all important volunteer. The second is focused on servicing the participants in order to keep them in the game. This is achieved through providing quality competitions, coaching, facilities, talent identification and volunteer education.

In addition, New Zealand Cricket has developed both a player development and coaching pathway, each having a number of key steps and programmes within it.

MILO Have-A-Go cricket is the first step in the player development pathway and it is at this level that we are seeing a huge increase in numbers.

The programme targets beginner cricketers and teaches the basic skills of batting, bowling, throwing and catching. Children play fun games and activities with plastic equipment and have fun learning the skills of the game. Fair play is a big component of this programme.

The programme is delivered in each association by a team of coaches called "The Milo Summer Squad".

Coaches initially run class lessons or field days in schools or organise holiday programmes and give out information on how to set up a MILO Have-A-Go centre in either a school, club or community.

The 12-week programme is awesome as it teaches the children new skills and also provides training for the parents, teachers and coaches. It provides a cricket coaching programme that is ongoing and the giveaways alone are enough to get everyone keen. Each week of the programme boys and girls receive a new giveaway which can be anything from a poster, player card or water bottle to a cool cap and some delicious MILO chocolate bars.

Over 5,000 children and 900 coaches have been a part of this exciting cricket programme since it started just one year ago and you can't help but wonder if the next Nathan Astle or Emily Drumm will start their cricket at this level.

If you are interested in finding out more information about the Development Programme then contact Alec Astle at New Zealand Cricket for further information.

Alec Astle
Development Manager
New Zealand Cricket
PO Box 958
CHRISTCHURCH
(03) 3662 964 ph, (03) 3657 491 fax.

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