HERE'S your chance to play cricket at the world's newest Test match ground. England are scheduled to play Zimbabwe at the Riverside, Chester-le-Street, next year.

But before that the ground will host the final of The Northern Echo/Local Heroes Under-15s cricket competition.

The journey to the final is already under way with entries being invited from schools across the North-East and North Yorkshire.

The knockout competition will culminate in a festival of schools cricket to be held at the Riverside Ground, on Monday July 15.

Both semi-finals will be held in the morning, with the final as the highlight of the afternoon's programme.

Over-40 schools entered last year's competition, which ended in victory for Boldon Comprehensive, in South Tyneside.

Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo, said the paper was delighted to be involved in the competition once again.

"Last summer was an unqualified success. It is great to see the resurgence of interest in cricket at schools across our region, and we are only too happy to offer our support."

John Windows, Durham's Cricket Development Officer, said last year was a tremendous success and he said schools were already looking forward to taking part in 2002.

"The enjoyment the young cricketers gained from playing in the competition was obvious to everyone involved. There was a real buzz about the schools surrounding an inter-schools cup.

"It is so heartening to hear schools talking so enthusiastically about a sports competition which is about something other than football."

All schools have to do is fill in the entry form and send it off to us by Wednesday, April 24.

Full details of the draw will appear in Local Heroes on Friday, April 26. An information pack will be sent to all competing schools.

Updates on the competition will appear every Friday in Local Heroes throughout the summer.