‘We want to build a love of cricket for life’ – how Locks Heath’s successful youth policy has created an extra adult Hampshire League team for 2023

Due to surging numbers, Locks Heath CC are planning to enter a 4th XI in the Hampshire League.

That will take them up to the same number of teams as Portsmouth, Portsmouth & Southsea, Gosport Borough and Fareham & Crofton.

The Locks youth system has come on leaps and bounds since colts co-ordinator Justin Cousins and Dave Lemon got involved seven years ago.

Back then, there were around 25 youngsters playing across a couple of age group teams. Now Locks boast 10 teams at under-9, under-11, under-13 and under-15 level. In all, they cater for around 150 players.

Recently, out of 33 players across the club’s three Hampshire League XIs, 15 were colts.

‘We’re planning to have four under-15 teams next year,’ said Cousins. ‘Some clubs struggle to get one - we’ve had to lend players to some sides.

‘To have that many under-15s is phenomenal - that’s the age when normally youngsters start to give up for a number of reasons: Saturday jobs, girls, hanging out, Playstations.’

Cousins says a band of loyal volunteers have helped to grow the youth section, from initially going into local school assemblies to raise interest and hosting after-school clubs.

‘We try and keep it cheap,’ he remarked. ‘We only charge £60 for the whole summer and that includes a £35 shirt.

‘One parent said to me that they had to bring their child along because there was no-one (among his cricket-playing friends) to play Playstation with! That was when I knew we had done it.

‘Some of the colts might never progress beyond a 3rd XI, but they will still be a part of the club, they’ll still be keeping active, staying busy, meeting their friends.

‘We want to show it is possible to grow a cricket club for all and that we are now making it sustainable.

‘We have won many leagues over the years and will probably win leagues this year too, but our main aim is building a love of cricket for life, so they (the current youngsters) are still playing when they are as old as me!’

Locks’ 1st XI are enjoying a good season in Division 3 South of the Hampshire League, having won eight of their nine games.

Opening bat Joe Baker, a former Locks colt, is the second highest runmaker in the entire league after hitting four centuries. He has scored another two hundreds in friendly and midweek league action.

Ben Farrington, currently an under-16, recently bagged 5-12 for Locks 1sts against Kerala while another colt, George McDowell, hit a century for the 2nds in a Hampshire League fixture. Louis Fernandez and Saransh Gupta are two other colts who have played for the 1st XI this season.

In addition, Locks’ youth system has helped Sarisbury-based school Brookfield to claim a superb county double.

Having not fielded a cricket team for some years, Brookfield Community School were persuaded to enter under-15 and under-13 sides in this year’s Hampshire Cup tournaments - and won them both!

The entire under-13 team were made up of Locks players - indeed, the team wore their Locks shirt in the final win against Andover’s John Hanson School. Players were Henry Lemon, Josh Cousins, Olly Burns, Archie Cousins, Harvey Hurst, Charlie Ayling, Will Rose, Josh Igglesden, Harry Brown, Louis Compton, Connor Dobbs and Jacob Povey.

The majority of the under-15s, who defeated Chandler’s Ford-based Toynbee in their final, were also Locks members.

Locks’ youth system has also been recognised by officialdom. Last year, the club were Hampshire winners in the ECB’s Outstanding Contribution Services to Coach Development awards.

Teenager George Lemon - who helps out with coaching and scoring - was honoured with a Rising Star Award and Tom Griffin, the 1st XI wicket-keeper, received a Game Changer award. Again, both were the Hampshire county winners.