WHO ARE YOU: Thongsbridge Junior Cricket Club, Miry Lane.

PROJECT: To buy Crazy catch nets and slip catch cradles to help young cricketers improve their catching skills.

THONGSBRIDGE Cricket Club does all it can to get youngsters involved in the sport.

It has a thriving junior section, with over 120 boys and girls aged from seven to 17 taking part in coaching and matches seven days a week.

Now it wants to improve their catching skills by investing in specialist rebound nets called Crazy catch nets and catching cradles.

Cricket balls are thrown at the nets and cradles and bounce off at crazy angles, testing the youngsters’ catching skills.

Junior coach Andrew Wagstaff said: “Our emphasis is to give everyone who wishes the opportunity to enjoy cricket, develop their skills and channel their energies into a positive and healthy activity.’’

But parents also play a vital role.

Mr Wagstaff added: “A lot of parental support is required to help with the organisation of all these sessions and we are very grateful for the time many parents willingly give to the club.

“The club is also very grateful for the support it receives from coaches and team managers, who all give their time voluntarily.’’

Coaching is high on the agenda, with former Yorkshire and England cricketer Arnie Sidebottom providing expert guidance to the boys and girls, both in the winter nets and during the summer.

The junior section is keen to develop new coaches. Last winter it helped two of its under-17s to take a coaching qualification. They are now coaching younger members.

The club has teams entered in the Sellers Huddersfield Junior Cricket League at under-11, 13, 15 and 17 age groups.

Also, under-nine teams take part in special tournaments which have been established over the past two seasons.

Cricket in one form or another is taking place seven days a week.

Senior cricket is on Saturdays and under-11 and 13 matches on Sundays. Mondays see under-15 matches, Tuesday is for under-17 practice and Wednesday the game.

Thursday sees under-13 and 15 practice and Friday under-nine and under-11 practice.

Thongsbridge is a club that encourages and promotes its junior players into senior cricket and many of the current under 17s are playing regularly in the club’s first and second teams. A number of the junior members have also represented Huddersfield in the various age groups.

Mr Wagstaff added: “In 2010, Thongsbridge celebrates its 150th anniversary and it is our hope that our thriving junior section will secure the clubs future for many to come.’’