Forton bowled over by Warwickshire ace Ateeq Javid

All-rounder Ateeq Javid took time out from the Bears' summer preparations to visit more than 20 lucky youngsters from the Forton under-11 and under-13s sides at Lilleshall National Sports Centre.

As well as offering advice as to how he forged a career in professional cricket, Javid, 25, also bowled off-spin at some of the Shropshire club's under-13 batting stars.

The event was organised between Warwickshire Cricket Club and father and son, Ron and Ian Roberts.

"We wanted to do something so contacted Warwick and they were happy to send Ateeq down and he was brilliant. He came along and did everything, he was fantastic," said Ron, who is Forton's youth co-ordinator while his son is the under-11s manager and head coach of the junior section.

"He signed everything for the kids that were there. I think he even signed the back of one of their mobile phones!

"He showed them how to hold the ball bowling off-spin and how to hold the bat."

Javid, who joined the Bears at the under-10 age group and came through their Development of Excellence programme, provided inspirational tips for his excited audience.

"There was a real buzz about it and there's a real buzz in our whole youth section," added Ian.

"We're really going places with them. We've had sponsorship for the junior section and a lot of the youngsters have had new kit and bats from Woodstock Cricket Company in Shropshire. Tim Ambrose at Warwickshire uses one of their bats."

Ian has played for Forton's first XI – who suffered relegation from the Shropshire Premier Division last season – for five years.

But he and his dad Ron got involved with the junior set-up just two years ago, with the department really finding its feet and coming on as a force.

To mark three generations of the Roberts family, Ian's son Joe represented the Shropshire Under-10s team last year against Derbyshire. While the junior set-up also boasted six players called up to represent the district.

"We're really grateful to our sponsors and the coaches throughout Shropshire that have helped us," added Ian.

"Big thanks to Clive Jones, he is our resident level two coach, as well as David Frost and Jamie Hancock, who's the under-13s manager.

"We've had great help from Phil Lloyd and Shropshire Cricket. Adrian Collins, the director of Shropshire Cricket, has came down for two sessions as well as Luke Sharples, from the West Midlands – he's almost qualified as one of very few level four coaches."

Aside from running the youth section, the Roberts father and son team heaped praise on the parents of the 30-strong junior set-up.

"Piers Bratton has worked really hard and helped doing all our scoring," added Ian. "There are loads – Sarah Higginson helps with all the kit and finance, Angela Spencer makes cakes for all the squads. It's really good."

Last season, the under-11s finished seventh in the East Shropshire Junior Cricket League Division B, while the under-13s also finished mid-table.

Potential

Both will get their 2017 seasons up and running next month at Forton, a ground which uniquely rests midway in both Shropshire and Staffordshire.

The club also boast a new-look this year as a winter renovation is almost complete, with fresh surroundings including a newly-designed clubhouse and changing rooms.

Any potential junior members that wish to sign-up for the 2017 season can do so by visiting Forton Cricket Club on April 8 and April 15 between 10am-noon.

The first junior outdoor nets session of the season at Forton is Monday, April 24, from 6.15-8pm.