FEBRUARY is not renowned as cricketing season – at least not in England – but a score of young players were engrossed in improving their game over half-term.

Cumbria Cricket ran a two-day camp at Furness College for keen players.

Twenty children aged between eight and 14 spent four hours on each of the days working on batting, bowling and fielding skills that might otherwise be easily neglected in the dead of winter.

Barrow cricket development officer Jake Woods was happy to see so many cricketing youngsters come out of winter hibernation to take part.

“It went really well,” he said. “There were quite a lot who haven't played since last year, so it was good to get them back into it. Hopefully, most clubs will start their indoor training soon as well to keep them going.

“It's a good chance for myself and the other coaches to have a look at some of the lads who maybe we haven't seen before, who aren't in the district or county squads. It was a good chance to have a look at some of the club players who maybe slip under the radar.

“Hopefully it puts them in good stead for the season.”

He added: “On the first day, we did plenty of fielding – different kinds of dynamic fielding – and batting, followed by a net. There were different batting drills, power hitting and the like. The second day was mostly games.

“It may be that a few of them haven't done these drills before, so hopefully gives them a decent start and gets the enthusiasm buzzing for the season.”

Woods, along with his West Cumbrian counterpart Chadd Pearson, Lee Hogg and young volunteer Sam Dudley, from Barrow Sixth Form College delivered the two-day workshop to mainly experienced players, although Woods saidd: “We did have a couple of lads who hadn't really played before, young players who had done the All Stars camp last year.”

He added: “We made it quite competitive; we put them in four teams and they stayed in those four teams for the two days. They accumulated points for the different things they did, and they went towards the team, with prizes as the end.

“I think that brought the best out of them.”