A number of youngsters from the Keighley area have been selected by the Yorkshire Cricket Board to take part in the Pathways to Cricket Excellence Scheme.

Ben Whitfield of Keighley Cricket Club, Andrew Wear of Denholme CC and Matthew Price of Bradley CC all have been selected to take part in bronze level sessions being held in Pontefract.

The men's scheme also includes a silver and gold level, where in addition to fitness, skill, dietary/nutritional and net work, the youngsters learn of the psychological side of the game and advice for those who could make potential captains.

ECB-trained coaches can select students to progress through the higher levels during the course of 2008 scheme. In addition the students will be automatically reconsidered for the following year.

However Howard Clayton, secretary of the Pathways to Cricket Excellence, said: "They need to show above average ability. This scheme is about taking the best and giving them the best coaching."

Cricketers chosen for the gold level are likely to compete for Yorkshire School U-15s team or the Yorkshire U-16s and U-17s sides.

Former gold level cricketers include Matthew Hoggard, Michael Vaughan, Ryan Sidebottom, Anthony McGrath and Richard Dawson.

A total of 320 young cricketers are involved in the men's side of the scheme, compared to half that number of women.

Clayton said: "We're forever trying to develop the women's side of the game."

But he said it is harder to keep women interested in cricket, as many often move on to play other sports or take part in activities such as dance.

Two girls from Steeton CC, Charlotte Boulton and Katie Wynn, have been selected to take part in the gold level of the winter cricket coaching scheme.

These sessions are held at Headingley where the girls did fitness, skill and dietary/nutritional work before Christmas, and then from the beginning of January to Easter they have been doing net work.

Katie Briggs, who played for the second team (men's) at Denholme CC last season, has been chosen for the elite level of the scheme.

Briggs, who took eight wickets in one game for Denholme last year, is part of a group of women cricketers who have either played for Yorkshire women's first team or the U-21 county development squad.

The elite level also includes two sisters originally from Cross Flatts, Anna and Laura Spragg.