THE ECB's new All Stars Cricket initiative aimed at attracting five to eight year olds to the game for life has already had a massive impact in Worcestershire.

Worcestershire Cricket Board Limited cricket development director Tom Hill said 470 children have already signed up across the county to the scheme which he says is "going from strength to strength."

Another five centres in Worcestershire, including at Himbleton and Martley, will be making the All Stars scheme available to youngsters.

Under the All Stars scheme, children will receive eight weeks coaching at one of the centres, plus a bag, ball, bat, cap, water bottle and personalised shirt.

The activity and game-based programme is suitable for all skill levels, providing children with the foundations to begin a life-long love of physical activity and cricket while also making friends in a safe and enjoyable environment.

But the more children who take up the game, the more opportunity there will be to discover the next generation of Worcestershire players.

Hill said: "It has gone from strength to strength.

"We have 470 new children signed up playing across the county.

"For the first time, we've got a whole generation of new kids excited about cricket that are turning up with all the kit, all the equipment, all the support from local coaches and local clubs.

"Hopefully we will have a whole generation that will start to come through and engage with cricket aged 5-8 - boys and girls.

"I am really pleased by that number and really excited and the beauty of it is there could be the new Joe Leach, Brett D'Oliveira, Moeen Ali in this batch of kids that comes through.

"It is also just exciting to know that cricket is growing. We're are starting to win the battle of the playground and competing with the hearts and minds of young kids.

"It is essential we capture kids of this age group to try and keep them in the game, not only as players but volunteers, administrators, whatever."

Hill reports that an All Stars cricket day will be held at New Road on August 7 during the Specsavers County Championship clash with Sussex.

He said: "We've got an All Stars Day so any children that have been involved in All Stars can come to the match for free.

"We are hoping we can pack one of the stands out full of kids versus Sussex. Once you go to a ground at that age, that's the team you are hooked to and follow.

"For us, it is essential that we get these boys and girls following Worcestershire from an early age so they keep coming back."