GLOUCESTERSHIRE and Australia batsman Michael Klinger has urged parents to sign their children up for All Stars Cricket, the new programme for five-to-eight-year-olds.

Forty four of the county’s clubs are running the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) scheme, which will offer children a fun, first taste of cricket in a safe and inclusive environment.

Klinger, who captained Gloucestershire to the 2015 Royal London One-Day Cup victory, said: “It’s a fantastic concept. We’ve got a very similar programme back in Australia which I’ve taken my son to who’s six.

“It’s skill-based, there are a lot of games and it’s more about making it really fun and enjoyable for the children.

“It’s a great programme, so sign your kids up and I’m sure they’ll have a great time.”

Parents can register their kids to take part by going to www.allstarscricket.co.uk and typing in their postcode to find their nearest club.

After signing-up, boys and girls will have a cricket ‘back-pack’ delivered to their door complete with a bat, ball, clothing and drinks bottle.

The new initiative – which has been developed with input from ECB director of cricket Andrew Strauss and the England performance team – aims to introduce 50,000 new boys and girls to the game this year.