The hugely successful cricketing concept ‘Wine and Wickets’ – so well received in 2017 – is back for another year.

‘Wine and Wickets’ is the Devon Cricket Board’s initiative in association with the Devon Women Cricket Association to get more 14plus-year-old females playing softball and informal cricket, and that is certainly not 50-over games, hardball action or wearing helmets!

In particular, organisers are keen to target mums of colts, wives and girlfriends plus friends of existing players, daughters and sisters age 14 plus of existing players, female sports teams perhaps looking to play a social summer sport, former players who fancy a route back into cricket and also existing players who were maybe lost to the game for not wanting to play hardball.

The offer for cricket clubs wishing to take part is the same as last year – for each participating club to run a 10-week programme, audit numbers attending and submit photographs of the sessions – and, in return, clubs will receive £125 to help cover costs.

The programme can be run by any volunteer, helper or cricket activator. You don’t need to be a level two cricket coach to run this activity.

The Devon Cricket Board (DCB) encourages each session to focus on softball and informal cricket and after each session bottles of Prosecco and soft drinks can be handed out. An all-new digital resource will be available to get ideas for games and activities if required.

Participating clubs are to be encouraged to attend a number of informal fun softball festivals run at central venues throughout the summer.

Clubs attending festivals will receive a second payment of £125.

The 2018 Wine and Wickets is being officially launched on Sunday, March 25, at the University of Exeter.

At the launch the DCB is hoping to be able to provide folk attending with dates of the festivals, flyers to help promote the club, along with some games of informal cricket (8-a-side cricket), Prosecco and a cream tea!

Those clubs who are new to Wine and Wickets for 2018 will also receive a free kit bag. (Please note, there are only a small number of kit bags available and these will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.)

The Wine and Wickets programme is set to run throughout April, May, June , July and August with festivals being staged from June to August.

Clubs can express an interest in Wine and Wickets by emailing Sara Dallyn at sara.dallyn@devoncricket.co.uk

The deadline for expressions of interest is Sunday, March 18.