CRICKET might not be Scotland’s most popular participant sport, but if a three-day junior coaching camp held recently is anything to go by, it’s definitely got a growing following in Helensburgh.

Held at Helensburgh Cricket Club’s grounds at Ardencaple on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the sessions were led by Caleb Alexander, one of the club’s 2021 overseas amateur players, who is spending the year working at Lomond School, with assistance from one of the club’s most promising young prospects, 16-year-old Caelan Lang.

The fun coaching classes gave local youngsters an introduction to the game and, for those already involved in the club’s flourishing youth set-up, an opportunity to improve their skills.

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And with Helensburgh’s playing ranks so far this season having already featured a bowler who is just nine years old, in the form of George Robinson, it may not be too long before some of those who took part in last week’s camp are donning the whites and heading out to the middle to represent their local club.

Caleb said: “It was a pretty good week - we had about 19 young people involved, some of whom knew how to play cricket and others who had no experience of the game at all.

“There’s a good drive to raise the popularity of cricket in Helensburgh - there’s a lot of young people who clearly want to engage with the game and plenty who want to learn how to play cricket.”

Caleb and his clubmates are now planning to hold another camp on August 4, 5 and 6 to build on the success of the recent event. For more information contact the club via its Facebook page or call Caleb on 07865 079571.