Published: Sunday, 28th June, 2009 5:00pm

Former cricket star put pupils through their paces

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BUDDING sportsmen from a Slough school were hit for six when a former England cricket star bowled into town to put the youngsters through their paces.

Pupils from Long Close School celebrated the opening of their new state-of-the-art cricket academy by inviting ex-international fast bowler Devon Malcolm to officially open the facility by bowling up a storm before siting back to admire the talent on display at the Upton Court Road School.

David Brazier, head teacher at the school, said: 'Devon posed for photographs, cut the red ribbon to officially open the nets and hosted a Q and A session where pupils quized him on his Test career, his upbringing in Jamaica, his choice to play for England and how he battered the South Africans after they hit him on the head with a bouncer.

'His message was clear - cricket is a great game, but play for the team and enjoy it. As he left Devon"s parting words were, "There is real talent here, you are doing a good job".'

The England legend, famous for terrorising batsmen in the 90s, christened the new nets by tested out his pacey deliveries against some of the school"s best young cricketers, including Berkshire under 11 player Saagar Kanwar and Uxbridge rising star Sohil Mangat.