Junior cricket will receive a big boost later this month when the South Australian Cricket Association reintroduces an Under 10 competition for all juniors. The competition has been organised to help bridge the gap between the Woolworths Cricket Blast programs and Under 12’s to provide an ideal starting point for juniors keen to have a bat and bowl.

SACA South East club and participation officer James Dunn organised the competition and said it has been brought back to give kids aged between seven and 10 a taste of playing on the pitch. “The purpose behind it is to get kids from the Junior Blasters program who are not quite old enough for Under 12’s used to playing on a pitch using protective equipment against a hard ball,” he said.

“The gap is there in the junior pathways, so it needs to be filled with this competition because I am worried we could lose a few of the strong numbers in the Woolworth Cricket Blast programs this year. “Clubs do so much hard work to get little kids involved, but lose them going into competition cricket and I do not want all that effort to go to waste.

“This is a very important step for the kids to go on a play Under 12’s and beyond.” The modified twenty20 games set to be played on Sunday mornings will provide the perfect introduction to the sport.

Teams of seven players will play on a 16m pitch with 40m boundaries using a rubber Kookaburra ball with a raised seam. Dunn said the goal is to reach similar numbers arrive to the maiden Under 10 season.

“We did it a couple of years ago with a four-week competition and it was a great success,” he said. “Four clubs were involved and a lot of the players went into Under 12’s which was excellent.

“This year I would be happy with four teams and anymore would be a bonus. “The end goal is to get separate boys and girls junior competitions.”

Clubs and players need to register their interest at playcricket.com.au before Wednesday, February 10 before the opening round on four days later.