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Jersey cricket took another step forward earlier this week when the clubs agreed to increase their involvement with Island secondary schools by running under-13 teams in a league next summer.

The initiative, which has the full backing of the Jersey Cricket Board supported by sponsors NatWest, is part of Phase 2 of the Plan for Cricket formulated by cricket development officer Chris Minty and should strengthen the link between schools and clubs.

Phase 1, successfully introduced last season, involved the Division I clubs fielding three under-18 players from their linked school in their sides playing NatWest Weekend Cricket on a Sunday.

At a meeting on Monday the Premier League clubs agreed to proceed to Phase 2 of the Plan.

After discussion with the PE departments of their particular school, the clubs are expected to provide some assistance with coaching during the Spring term - possibly during the second half of the term.

Clubs will then continue to assist with the provision of cricket in the first half of the summer term, during which time the format of the U13 competition can be decided. It could take the form of anything between eight and 12-a-side matches played on a Friday evening or Saturday morning.

The competition will take place during the six week period from the week beginning 5 June.

Cricket Development Officer Chris Minty said: 'It is now up to the clubs to develop their relationships with the school to which they are linked and offer to help and support cricket in that school.

'Therefore the children in each school know there is somewhere for them to go and play cricket if they are interested and it provides a development pathway for young cricketers.

'This initiative won't interfere at all with inter-school cricket - it is an additional opportunity.

'Players in Year 7 and 8 should contact their PE Departments to register their interest.'

Doug Ferguson, secretary of the Secondary Schools Cricket Association, commented: 'We are delighted that the clubs are offering to assist. All the schools are looking forward to the benefits that will accrue from such a link.

'It was discussed at our AGM on Wednesday and everyone welcomed the move.

'It is my personal view that this can only assist what the schools and the Cricket Development Officer have been looking to do for some years and will eventually fill that gap in cricket provision between the ages of 13 and 18 and keep young people interested and playing the sport.'

Despite their poor effort in Pakistan, the England cricket team have not managed to quell the upsurge of interest in cricket created by their stirring victory in The Ashes series during the summer.

Hence the Jersey Cricket Board have, in order to meet the increased demand, added some additional courses to their usual Christmas holiday programme.