Playing Cricket in Britain
Cricket is one of the most popular sports in Britain, and if you travel through the country on a summer weekend you're bound to see teams of white-clad players on village greens enjoying their match against a rival team.
Local games welcome amateurs and the matches are always a lot of fun and great social occasions. So if you have a talent for batting or bowling, and happen to be staying nearby, ask if you can join it!
If you just want to play cricket with your friends, you can pick up a cheap cricket kit at a sports shop, and set it up in a local playing field or park. Check that there are no restrictions on ball games first and that people around you don't mind you playing.
Cricket academies
Cricket is also a great game for children, and if your children want to learn more about cricket or simply perfect their skills, there are a number of cricket academies they can join. Here are a few cricket academies in the UK:
-batting%2C-England-V-Australia-the-Ashes%2C-2nd-test-at-Lords-150x113_tcm18-97452.jpg "Mark Butcher (Eng) batting, England V Australia, The Ashes, 2nd test at Lords")
Cricket academies get lots of applications in the summer months, so you might not be guaranteed a place. Also, many academies take place over a few weeks, so it's best to check how long the academy runs for when you apply.
Lords Cricket Ground, the 'home of cricket', also offers cricket coaching and intensive training courses during the school holidays at Easter, Christmas and in the summer. But if you just want to play a friendly game, you can book a net session and use the excellent facilities at Lords.
For more information, or to book, visit Lords Cricket Ground (www.lords.org).