Mum's the word

Mummy Gibbs and Callen enjoy an ice cream at Broad Haven
but will she encourage him to play cricket? (Hopefully she will!)

She’s the archetypal cricket widow, a woman who thinks a cricket term with golden in it is to be celebrated even if it’s followed by duck and comes out in welts at the thought of making teas.

She scorns at you when you ask nicely if she fancies coming over to watch later and feigns sympathy when things don’t go your way; yet according to the English and Wales Cricket Board she and others like her could be the ones to save our summer game.

A new initiative aimed at kids aged 5-8 called All Stars Cricket is being launched this summer in a bid to raise participation numbers and the ECB are hoping mothers across the country can get enthused about the game.

They’ve even partnered up with parenting website Mumsnet to help spread the message.

Mumsnet CEO Justine Roberts says: “We all know that kids (not to mention grown-ups) benefit from regular exercise, but finding fun new ways to get everyone running around can stretch parents’ ingenuity. We’re happy to be working with the ECB on their campaign to highlight ways to help parents find fun, sporty activities that their children will love.”

Ever since Sir Alex Ferguson admitted he’d make a fuss of mother’s when he tried to sign a youngster so they’d help them make a decision to join Man Utd the power of mums has come to the fore.

Want a new car? Forget What Car, go to Mumsnet for a review. Want inspiration for a day out? Forget Trip Advisor, Mumsnet has the answer and why not? Mother’s have always had the final say.

Remember the Beastie Boy’s 1986 hit Fight for your right? The dad didn’t take away their best porno mag, the mother did.

There’s no programme called Dance Dads on telly and you can guarantee the majority of fathers won’t be encouraging their daughters to enter beauty pageants either, but they’ll happily let mothers take the lead.

Face facts, mothers rule the roost.

£40 will buy you this

At homes around the country you can guarantee there’ll be conversations like this, apart from maybe the last one.

“Dad, can I have something to eat?”

“Go ask your mother.”

“Dad, can Tarquin come and play?”

“Go ask your mother.”

“Mum, can I play cricket please?”

“Of course darling, I was just going to suggest we go grab a bat and ball.”

The ECB are hoping the final one does come true with the launch of All Stars Cricket and on the face of it, they may just have hit the nail on the head.

Each registered club will receive this kit bag

Copying a highly successful Australian model the design of All Stars is appealing. Bright coloured kit with your name on the back, your own rucksack, ball, water bottle and of course your own plastic bat.

It all sounds great until you realise that it costs £40 for an eight week programme.

Pembrokeshire clubs have taken to it. 18 have registered to take part and in doing so they’ll all receive a training bag full of snazzy kit worth £500. The activators, which is ECB speak for coaches, will all be decked out in kit too, blue tracksuits with orange trim. Lovely.

But will parents (and in particular mothers) agree to stump up that £40?

There is a sense that it may be a stumbling block, especially if the child doesn’t fancy it after a couple of weeks and especially as other age groups won’t have to pay as much.

The Activator's kit

A clue to whether they will was given on the cycle path in Neyland last weekend when I bumped into Whitland’s Paul Davies and family.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries the talk quickly went to cricket whereupon Paul turned to his wife Tara saying.

“You’re looking forward to it as well aren’t you?”

His knowing smile and her sigh gave away what the answer would be.

“I don’t mind it but it’s a long day to look after the kids,” she said before adding.

“I like watching Lucas play though.”

Paul’s classy cover drives may be lost on her but like all good mothers she likes watching her children enjoy themselves, so maybe the ECB has a point.

Mumsnet + Mothers + Cricket widows = more kids playing cricket.

It could be a winning equation.

For more information about All Stars Cricket and to find a participating club near you visit https://www.ecb.co.uk/play/all-stars/centres