GRASSROOTS SHORTS

THE HSBC UK National CycloCross Championships are staged at Hetton Lyons Country Park, Hetton-le-Hole, tomorrow and on Sunday (9.30 both days).

Day one features races for veteran women, under-16 girls, under-14 and under-16 boys and veteran and 40-49-years men.

On day two there is action for under-23 men and women and junior men as well as the elite men’s and women’s races. ■■ROUND two of the Global Image Embroidery NFA Girls Under-14 Cup is staged tomorrow (1.30). TIES: Bedlington Devils v Morpeth Town, Blyth Town v Montagu and North Fenham. Blyth Town Whites v Heaton Hawks, Cramlington United v Wideopen and District, Blyth Town Greens v Newcastle Benfield, Ponteland United Crusaders v North Shields, Hexham v Wallsend BC Panthers and Whitley Bay SC v West Allotment Celtic. ■■THE Junior NBA Basketball England League is set to expand - and the North East could be one the areas it will look at in future.

The league, geared to players aged 11 and 12, is to grow from five leagues to 16 by 2020.

None of these leagues will be in this region but organisers say they have an option to expand into the North East in the future. ■■TO feature in Grassroots ring Tony Hodgson on 0191 201 6348.