The Norfolk Cricket Board (NCB) has completed its most extensive and successful summer schools coaching programme but plans are already being drawn up to improve and extend it.

Schools cricket coaching is seen as fundamental to driving increased participation in schools, but the NCB is also trying to ensure all activity is linked to local clubs.

The programme this summer involved 316 hours of coaching over 236 sessions in 40 schools, and were delivered by 14 NCB coaches. As a result 1,230 children were taught during the summer, 716 of them boys and 514 girls; 19 clubs took part in the school sessions in their area.

Development manager Kieron Tuck said: 'This is one of the Norfolk Cricket Board's key programmes and we commit significant resources to it. It is very rewarding to see the number of children being offered cricket as a result of the NCB's sessions, and we hope that many of them go on to local clubs to continue playing the game.'

The work is in addition to the coaching conducted with local schools by many Norfolk clubs, with the 29 Focus and Clubmark clubs delivering coaching to 132 schools across the county.

On the plans for 2011, Tuck added: 'We know we must continue to improve our existing programmes and develop new ones to ensure cricket stays at the forefront of summer school sport.

'With that in mind, we are exploring new funding streams to supplement what already goes on. In particular we are delighted we have been awarded three new Chance to Shine schools coaching projects for 2011.'

Swaffham and Old Buckenham will get funding for the five-year project to deliver schools coaching, while the NCB will run a project to develop girls' cricket.