AN initiative by the DFCA/Omnitau Bristol Youth Cricket League (BYCL) that encourages more juniors to play the sport has been expanded ahead of the start of the new season.
Two clubs – Pucklechurch and Bristol Pakistanis – last year received complete kit bags to be used by new 11-a-side hard ball sides.
And this summer three further clubs – Bitton, Bohemians and St Mary Redcliffe – have been supported in the same way.
BYCL Chair Jim Donaldson said: “We’re delighted that we have been able to help these three clubs.
“We know that introductory forms of cricket – All Stars and Dynamos – continue to be very popular, but not every club goes on to also offer hard ball cricket for players aged 11 and over.
“There are many reasons for that, including the cost of all the necessary equipment. So we hope that being able to offer a complete kit bag – it features three pairs of pads, wicketkeeping gloves, helmets and even left-handed gloves – will make a difference.
Josh Wiltshire (middle) of Bitton receives a fully equipped kit bag from Damian Forder (left) of DFCA and Bristol Youth League chair Jim Donaldson
“We were very fortunate to receive a generous donation of £5,000 from the members when BACUS (Bristol Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers) came to an end and became part of GACO (Gloucestershire Association of Cricket Officials).
“We decided that the best way to use this money was, with the assistance of our long standing partners DFCA Coaching, to put this kit bag together to enable a league game to be played.
“The only requirement from our side is that the recipient club does not already have a hardball youth team and that it enters a team in our league.
“We feel that this is a very positive way to support local clubs in the on-going and challenging process of developing their respective youth systems.
“We will also be welcoming applications from clubs who feel they may want to field hard ball teams in 2026.”
Main image: St Mary Redcliffe’s James Hall (middle) receives a kit bag from Damian Forder (left) of DFCA and Bristol Youth League chair Jim Donaldson