WEYMOUTH’S Sean Fitzgerald has been recognised for outstanding services to grassroots cricket.

The West Dorset district head coach collected his award from former England international Nick Knight, who presented him with a special certificate during the NatWest Series One Day International (ODI) against South Africa at the Ageas Bowl, Southamp-ton.

Fitzgerald was given the exclusive opportunity to attend England’s ODI as part of the Sky Sports ECB Coach Education programme. He has been coaching for more than 15 years and has in that time achieved his Level Three coaching certificate.

He is currently the youth co-ordinator and head youth coach at Weymouth CC, as well as a county squad coach for Dorset Under-13s.

Fitzgerald said: “Sky Sports and the ECB have had a huge influence on all the children I teach, as they have helped me to provide better quality sessions for them.

“I have been on courses run by the programme and pick up endless training drills from the website, which both help me to develop young talent in West Dorset.”

Twelve coaches met with Knight during the interval on the pitch at the Ageas Bowl, all of whom were being acknowledged by the programme’s ‘Reward and Recognition’ (R&R) scheme.

More than 100 coaches from across England and Wales have been recognised during the 2012 season, all of whom have been voted to receive the reward by their county’s fellow cricket coaches in recognition of their investment in the game.

The R&R scheme comprises of a series of on-pitch presentations throughout the summer by various cricket legends and the Sky Sports broadcast team.

The Sky Sports ECB Coach Education Programme aims to attract and train coaches at all levels of cricket in England and Wales.

Since the beginning of BSkyB’s sponsorship in 2006, more than 45,000 coaches have gone through the scheme – with 40 per cent being under 25 years of age.

For every professional cricketer in England and Wales, there are now more than 100 grassroot coaches.

For more information about Sky Sports ECB Coach Education Prog-ramme, visit ecb.co.uk/development /coach-education or skysports.com/ coaching