ORGANISERS of girls cricket in Wyre Forest are being bowled over by the number of girls going batty for the sport after the success of an inaugural tournament.

Players from five Wyre Forest schools took part in the inter-cricket competition at Kidderminster's Chester Road ground last week.

Stourport High School were crowned champions after their victory over Bewdley.

They will be presented with the trophy at the prestigious international between England and Australia at Kidderminster on August 19, when they will also entertain the crowd with a cricket demonstration during the interval.

The tournament also featured players from Baxter College, Wolverley and King Charles I, who entered two teams.

England's opening bowler Jenny Gunn also popped by to watch the girls in action and was impressed with the standard of play.

Schools development co-ordinator for Worcester County Cricket, Debbie Cahill, a teacher at King Charles, said the sport was going from strength to strength among girls in the area.

She said: "We have between 35 and 40 girls turning up regularly for the weekly training sessions at Kidderminster which is great.

"Jenny Gunn came along to support the girls at the tournament and said how great it was to see so many of them enjoying cricket.

"We're trying different ways to get girls interested in the game and it seems to be working."

The training sessions at Chester Road are open to girls up to the age of 16 and take place from 6pm until 8pm on Mondays.