July 2019: England’s World Cup success leads to free lessons

FREE cricket coaching sessions are being offered to new children attending Edenfield Cricket Club to celebrate England’s World Cup success.

Haslingden High School student Neve Harris-Summers, 14, is a member of the school’s U15s girls and mixed cricket teams and also plays for Edenfield Cricket Club’s mixed team and Brooksbottom Girls’ team at Summerseat.

When the World Cup was on the Neve and her friends were playing a match for Brooksbottom at Saddleworth.

She said: “I was batting alongside Ella Holt from Alder Grange and we had got 44 runs not out off four overs and we went back in the clubhouse and were watching the England match on my mum’s mobile phone.

“As it started to get tense, we paused the game and everyone from both teams came into the clubhouse to watch the result.”

Neve’s mum Lindsay Harris is also club administrator and welfare officer at Edenfield CC. She said: “We are a small village club, going from strength to strength and are hoping to recruit more children to join us.

“We have all enjoyed and celebrated the England World Cup win and we were excited to have had BBC Northwest News at the club for the evening. It has been the highlight of the year seeing my daughter, Neve and her friends on TV.

“We are now offering free Sunday coaching at Edenfield on the back of the World Cup win to any new children.”

Edenfield Cricket Club is also working closely with cricket mental health charity Opening Up to ensure both old and young players enjoy a happy, healthy game.”

Neve added: “Cricket is my sport. I have been playing for four years, but seriously the last two. I play five to six times a week and it is amazing.”