SPORTS minister Tony Banks was told about Edge End High School's dream of having a cricket academy when he presented prizes at the Nelson school.

He was welcomed by kindred spirit headteacher Martin Burgess as his kind of politician.

He told him "We both have a bit of a reputation for opening our mouths and putting a foot in them."

Edge is is currently bidding for a sports lottery grant for a regional cricket centre.

Mr Burgess said: "Our bid, if successful, will provide much needed opportunity in particular for our British Muslim pupils to develop their skills at cricket.

"It will provide sports facilities in a location where the wider Asian community of Nelson are able and, more to the point, willing to use them.

"It will give an excellent opportunity to improve race relations by developing the relationship of young Asian cricketers with the predominantly white middle class cricket clubs locally."

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