YOUNG cricketers from the St Helens area were well to the fore at last week’s Lancashire Cricket Board Excellence Presentation night, sponsored by MI Dental, held at Old Trafford.

Pride of place went to Rainford CC’s Ellie Threlkeld who received the top award of Girls’ Player of the Season from Lancashire and England cricketer Kate Cross and Lancashire County Cricket Director and Head Coach, Ashley Giles.

Ellie, a student at Rainford High Technology College, was also given the Girls U15 award.

She plays regularly for the Lancashire Women’s Senior Team and has just been selected for the England Women’s Development Programme at U19s.

Three other youngsters from St Helens based clubs also won the coveted Player of the Year awards in their respective age groups.

The highly promising pair from Newton le Willows CC, Matthew Hurst (U10) and Ben Walkden (U11), both county captains, led from the front to win their awards whilst Rainford CC’s Saad Khan was awarded the under 16 Player of the Year.

In a good year for players from St Helens clubs the following youngsters also achieved county representation in 2014.

James Clarke U11 (Rainhill CC), Michael Grundy U11 (Haydock CC), Joe Smith U13 (Sutton CC), Ben Hemingway U13 (Rainford CC), Olivia Horsfield U13 (Newton le Willows CC), Rohan Bhalla U15 (Newton le Willows CC) and James Seward U16 (Rainford CC).

Steve Titchard (LCB Performance Manager) said: “On behalf of the Lancashire Cricket Board I’d like to congratulate all the players that have represented LCB county squads this year.

“These players are the best players currently playing within their age groups and we hope and know that some of them will go on to represent Lancashire at a senior level.”