‘Special’ Scottish partnership rewarded at ICC Development Awards

The HOWZAT! programme, meanwhile, is aimed at a younger age group, offering free community cricket programmes to 5-11 year-olds in disadvantaged communities.

This feeds into Cricket Scotland’s Wicketz hubs, situated in some of the most disadvantaged areas of Glasgow and Edinburgh, which offer lifestyle workshops on topics such as knife-crime, healthy eating, CV writing and discrimination as well as a cricketing outlet.

“It’s about providing the opportunity to engage with cricket not in a club setting,” Wilson said.

“It provides outlets for families who can’t get to a club because of financial barriers or lack of transport.

“We have a real mix of nationalities in those sessions, as well as participants who have come in to help deliver the sessions, and we are putting on a coaching course for some of the Wicketz participants who have come through that programme. It has been a real success.”

Now boosted by international recognition in the form of their ICC Development Award, Wilson hopes to see the link-up continue to flourish.

“We are not in it for award, we are in it for the smiling faces, to change lives and bring families back to cricket,” Wilson said.

“That said, it is fantastic to get recognition and we are really excited. I am so proud of the development team and all the work they deliver.”