Fran Wilson and Beth Langston from England’s victorious 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup as well as Western Storm’s Rachel Priest inspired school girls from Bristol at a festival as part of Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week. The festival at Frenchay Cricket Club saw teams from four local schools join in as part of an initiative by national cricket charity Chance to Shine.

Wilson, Langston and Priest helped the girls with some coaching top tips and drills as well as talking them through their cricketing experiences. The England players were part of the side that swept to the World Cup title last summer and have since inspired thousands of girls and boys across the country to take up cricket.

The teams from St Mary’s, Hanham Abbots, Hotwells and Bromley Heath all played off against one another in a tournament organised by Gloucestershire Cricket Board. The girls from Hanham Abbots took the trophy with Bromley Heath finishing runners up.

Molly, aged 10, who took part in the festival, said ''I've really enjoyed it today because it's not really about winning, we've got to play with people that weren't necessarily your friends and we have got to learn how they like to bowl, bat and field. It's just been really fun today.''

Alma added ''It's been really fun, we've been all cheering each other on. I think I have really improved my bowling today, and all my other cricket skills have also improved a lot.''

Speaking at the event, Fran Wilson said “It’s really good to come down to clubs like Frenchay, they do so much for girls’ cricket in particular. It’s really good to see them all come down here, run around and have an introduction to cricket.”

Chance to Shine is a national cricket charity that aims to give all children the opportunity to play and learn through cricket. They deliver coaching sessions in 1 in 5 primary schools across the country, teaching children life skills like communication, teamwork and respect through the sport.

Into its fifth year, Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week is a celebration of cricket that sees around 1,500 schools take part and this year runs from 18 – 22 June. Chance to Shine and Yorkshire Tea work together to inspire thousands of children across the country to take part in cricketing activity in the classroom and on the playground.

This summer, donations to Chance to Shine are being matched £ for £ by charity Patron Adrian Beecroft. Click here to donate today.