DUMMER cricket Centre threw open its doors recently to the stars of the future.

Some 50 youngsters aged b-tween eight and 11 were able to enjoy a free cricket session in one of the top indoor cricket centres in the country.

As a result, one boy has been offered the chance to join the Dummer Cricket Academy which is shortly to be renamed the Ferguson Academy after its late founder, Major Ronald Ferguson.

The academy has 32 players aged from nine to 16. They are coached by Rod Wilcock and Sean Tyler, assisted by English Cricket Board-qualified coaches Neil Bezant, Rob Hodgkinson, Howard Grice, Tim Thornton, Peter Thornton and Denis Smith.

The Academy, which meets on Sundays from January to May, has been running for three years and some pupils have already gone on to join county teams.

Representatives from local clubs were also on hand to offer opportunites to join their own colts sections.

Dummer's Ace League has just wound up with a knock-out final between Larkhill Gunners and Cody's Cowboys, from a club started at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough almost a century ago.

The Army unit from Salisbury Plain batted first and made a magnificent 250-2 in their 15 overs. They were then able to bowl out Cody's Cowboys for 150 for an impressive win.

Premier division winners Hook Hammers were surprisingly knocked out at the quarter-final stage.

A new indoor league season starts in October with Larkhill Gunners promoted to the top flight from division one.