A Sussex soldier is hoping to bring peace to Iraq - by teaching cricket to the masses.

Major Andrew Banks, from Midhurst, will take bats and balls into schools in the south of the country to try to convince youngsters they are friends not foes.

And the Royal Military Police (RMP) hope the scheme will help cut the number of attacks on British soldiers and civilians in the warzone.

The RMP have joined forces with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to teach Kwik Cricket to the schoolchildren of Basra Province.

Kwik Cricket was developed by the ECB as a basic form of the game which children of all ages can enjoy. It is played in schools and clubs across England and Wales with over 110,000 children taking part in the national competition last year.

The Iraq project has been designed to build partnerships between the Armed Forces and the local population.

Brigadier James Everard CBE, Commander of 20th Armoured Brigade, said: "As a military commander in southern Iraq I had never dreamt that cricket would help to form a bridge between our two cultures so successfully."

Major Banks, the officer commanding 110 Provost Company RMP, has managed to drum up considerable enthusiasm for the game despite the bewildering rules and the Iraqis having "no concept of bat and ball games".

Bringing the sound of leather on willow to the villages surrounding the flight path is designed to make the British troops a more benign presence, encouraging the locals to report any terrorist activity.

Major Banks said: "It has worked particularly well for the Queen's Royal Hussars as they have stopped the Iraqi kids from chucking stones at them."

Oliver Mott has been managing the project for the ECB from Lord's in London. He said: "It's fantastic to see the positive aspects of cricket being used to such good effect in this difficult situation.

"Cricket, of all sports, is very good at teaching the benefits of teamwork and fair play at the same time as being excellent fun."

The Major is also well aware of the positive influence of cricket on schoolchildren. He said: "Something that runs through the sport is fair play. Therefore it'd be very nice if the concepts of right and wrong were extended beyond the sports field.

"Iraq has no history of playing cricket and I think the teachers were sceptical at first, as they see quite a lot coming from the West. But their scepticism was reduced when they saw the kids having fun. When we gave them the sets from the ECB for the teachers to use they seemed quite pleased."

Major Banks believes that the emerging cricket nation may even be pushing for a place in the next World Cup.

"Maybe we have started something in Iraq. At least the children and their teachers were enthusiastic. But I don't think the Australians need to worry yet," he added.