A SCHOOLGIRL has found confidence in playing cricket with a new programme designed to get more children playing sport.

Lina Aldawsary used to be shy and hesitant until she started playing cricket with Chance to Shine’s girls only street sessions in Blackburn.

Since then, the 10-year-old regularly tops the mixed team timesheets at her school, Audley Junior School.

As she now prepares for a move to secondary school, Lina hopes to represent the school in cricket and eventually the county.

Speaking of her love of cricket, she said: “I just really like it. I saw others playing and wanted to try it too.

“It’s good, I have fun when I play, and I want to play at high school too. I love sports, I play football too.

“I used to be really shy, but playing cricket makes me feel more confident.

“My family love sports too. My dad and my uncle go boxing, my uncle is really good.”

As part of the programme, Lina met England cricketer Jonny Bairstow, who ran a workshop with the mixed team.

The Aldawsary family have a proud boxing heritage in the Blackburn area. Featuring several unbeaten local fighters, the family are proud of their business.

Lina’s dad, Tariq Aldawsary said: “My brother is the boxer in the family, he has been in a few fights now and has won most.

“I am happy for Lina; she loves sports so much. She even tells me when my football team are playing and where I can watch it.”

Lina’s coach at school, Mr Farouk Hussain praised her attitude and the change in her character.

He said: “Her skills on the cricket pitch are evident and anyone who knows her can see how much she’s grown as a person.

“However, it’s off-field where we’ve seen the most dramatic change.

“She’s got the cheekiest sense of humour and always has a positive outlook no matter the situation.

“I haven’t seen a child get so competitive and smile so much in a long time.”

Chance to Shine partnered with The Yorkshire Tea National Cricket Week to get children offline and into sports, improving their health and wellbeing.