Egremont Cricket Club is looking to its youth to secure its future strength and their dynamic coach, Allan Gribbin, who is also Captain of Gosforth Cricket Club, is building a formidable Under 11 squad of more than thirty boys and two girls. Two of their most promising young players, Allan's son, Ellis, and Matthew Sempill were chosen to play for play for Cumbria U10s at the Hartlepool Cricket Festival on July 11th, and both played very well.
This is the first time the Cumbria Cricket Board has formed an U10 squad, and they will be playing at four festivals this year, where each side plays two matches against two of the other counties. From the squad of 20 boys and girls thirteen are selected to go to each Festival.
Both boys come from strong cricketing families. Ellis's brothers both play regularly. Matthew's grandfather, the late Walter Sempill of The Oaks, Orgill, played opening bat for Whitehaven for many years, and turned out for Egremont on an occasional basis in his Autumn years.
Matthew spoke enthusiastically to Egremont Today about the support the club has given him and knows what he must do to improve: "Keep my eye on the ball." He bowls fast left arm deliveries, swinging them in to the right handed batsmen, and polishes the left hand side of the ball to increase the movement. Against Northumberland he took two good wickets quite cheaply. As a batsman he is learning to play strokes all round the wicket, and particularly enjoys the cover drive, keeping his head right over the ball.
A presentation for the Under 11s and Under 13s will be held at the cricket ground on 22nd August, preceded by a cricket match between parents and kids.