BLEAK Hill Primary School have been celebrating after their boys' cricket team won the ASDA Kwik Cricket County Final at Northern CC in Crosby last Thursday.

The impressive Bleak Hill team, captained by Ben Hemingway, had already reached the semi-finals of the 32-team event when torrential rain prevented any further play at Moor Park.

However, a run-rate of 1103 was more than enough to secure the trophy, which was presented by Lancashire's Director of Cricket Mike Watkinson.

For coach Andrew Harrison, his team’s success was the culmination of a lot of hard work dating back to last Autumn.

“Cricket is the number one sport for these players and they have the potential to go all the way," he said.

“I try and coach them once a day leading up to events like this but the district cricket coach Chris Chambers does a six-week programme two or three times a year.

“Some of that coaching begins in October and there is a lot of competition to get into the side.

“The team includes about six district players who represent St Helens, so we have quite a strong core. “Our players train properly and cricket is just a massive part of we do at Bleak Hill.

"The Lancashire Cricket Board works very hard to get tournaments like this up and running,” he added.

“It’s all very good having the coaching, but schools are limited in what they can organise. Having a pathway to the national finals delivered by the LCB benefits the school enormously and we also have very good links with Rainford CC, which is where many of our players receive further coaching.”

Bleak Hill now go on to the regional finals which are due to be held at Warrington CC on Friday.