YOUNGSTERS in Sutton Benger have been given the opportunity to become the next Ian Botham or Mike Atherton after the formation of a new cricket club in the village.

Sutton Benger cricket club chairman Trevor Knowlden and his band of volunteers have toiled tirelessly during the winter months in preparation for the 2002 season and officially launched their new club on Friday evening at the Wellesley Arms.

The club has pinpointed the development of young players in the village as one of its primary goals and will hold weekly coaching sessions on Monday evenings for a growing number of interested juniors.

The new club, who have no immediate plans to join the Wiltshire League, have secured a full diary of fixtures and begin their first ever campaign with a home game against Stanton St Quintin on April 21.

Knowlden has also used his contacts in the Bristol area to secure fixtures against the likes of Gordano and his former club, Portishead.

The club chairman is hoping for a successful first year and thanked his fellow villagers for their hard work in making his vision of a cricket club in the village become a reality.

Said Knowlden: "It has been a lot of hard work in the winter months, preparing the wicket and everything else, but hopefully it will all be worthwhile.

"We've got some interesting fixtures coming up and I am very keen and excited about the coming season.

"The support from the village has been very good. The villagers have been 100 per cent behind the new venture and the Church Piece Fund have been exceptional in making it happen in such as short space of time."

Knowlden is pleased with the response he has received from junior players, who will receive weekly net practice under the guidance of level one qualified coaches Jeff Leonard and Ben Bartlett.

Said Knowlden: "It will all be about enjoyment and teaching the kids to do something. They are all potential cricketers and, during my involvement at Bristol, I saw the likes of Marcus Trescothick come through from a five or six year old.

"I played against him a couple of times when he played for Keynsham and he looks like he could be the next England captain."

More than 20 youngsters regularly attended coaching sessions last summer and age group fixtures will be arranged this summer with the assistance of Wiltshire Cricket Board district administrator Peter Knight.

WCB county development officer Richard Gulliver is impressed by Sutton Benger's blueprint for the future.

He said: "Normally we see clubs closing down because of a lack of youth development. They have listened, learnt and done everything we have suggested. I think they will do well and I'm really pleased for them."

More information from secretary Dave Morse on (01249) 720125.