ONE of Oulton Park's outstanding juniors leaves for South Africa this week.

Craig Williamson is following in England's footsteps with the Cheshire Under 15s, who are playing four matches, including two day and night games at the Pietermaritzburg Oval.

The 15-year-old left-arm spinner from Utkinton plays for Oulton's 2nd and 3rd teams and has been in the Cheshire side for five years, winning major tournaments against British and European opposition.

He has been training through the winter with the North of England squad at Old Trafford and recently won Golden Star sponsorship from Vale Royal Borough Council.

He is being sponsored for the trip to South Africa by Northwich companies Murray Smith, Britannia Carpets and Roberts Bakery as well as getting backing from the Chester sports award scheme.

Meanwhile, Oulton's cricket school ventures outdoors again next month. The U17s and U15s on April 11 from 6 to 8pm, the U9s, U11s and U13s from April 13 (6-8pm), and U7s on the same evening (5-6pm).

Details are available from Mike Guest on 01829 733381. n* iddlewich Cricket Club is taking part in the ECB initiative, Cricket-Force.

On April 2 and 3 all senior and junior players, as well as parents and volunteers, are helping to get the club ready for the coming season.

Painting, mending gutters, building sightscreens, cutting grass, tidying cellars, clearing rubbish, moving soil and many other tasks are all on the agenda.

The aim of the NatWest-sponsored CricketForce is to persuade the community to become involved in their club.

Club chairman Richard Goulding said: 'We will be sourcing what we need locally and we have been encouraging people to come and help.

'We'll be putting on bacon butties and a drink. The emphasis is on having fun while doing the tasks and helping sustain the great atmosphere

we have at the club.' nIn a scheme negotiated by Cheshire Cricket, eight local clubs have received £14,000 between them from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts, the organisation which distributes cash raised from football pools.

Grants made were: Kingsley, wicket mower, £1,715; Oakmere, mower, scarifier, £2,516; Davenham, aerator, £3,508; Frodsham, roller, £2,864; Winsford, wicket mower, £1,049; Hartford, roller, £2,820; Oulton Park, autoseeder, £1,500; Toft, rotary mower, £675.

Those registered as community amateur sport clubs will be able to re-claim the tax thus increasing the size of the grant.

Cheshire Cricket development officer Peter Hancock said: 'There has been suggestions in the national Press money is not getting through. But coupled with regular support from Lord's Taverners and the recently publicised Community Club Development Fund, cricket is in tremendous shape for the start of the season.'