GEORGE DOBELL: Part of a wider government strategy of encouraging physical activity among young people, the pledge will see 16 all-weather cricket domes built outdoors in cities hosting the women's World Cup in 2026
The government has announced an investment of almost £35 million into grassroots cricket which is aimed at widening access to the sport.
Part of a wider government strategy of encouraging physical activity among young people, the pledge will see 16 all-weather cricket domes built outdoors in cities hosting the Women's T20 World Cup in 2026 and increase the amount of cricket played in state schools.
The domes, which allow for participation in cricket throughout the year, will each be built within diverse communities where figures have indicated low levels of physical activity.
The funding is aimed to get 930,000 young people into cricket over the next five years including 80,000 with special educational needs.
Chance to Shine are among three charities set to benefit (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images for Yorkshire Tea)
As part of this funding, £14 million will go to three charities: Chance to Shine, who deliver cricket into schools and local communities; Lord's Taverners, who deliver to children with special education needs and disabilities; and ACE, whose focus is on people of African and/or Caribbean heritage. The total investment is expected to deliver around 2,500 pieces of new equipment to every school involved in the programme.
"I first experienced the magic of cricket watching Hampshire play at my local ground in Southampton as a child," Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said. "For young people watching their first match today, the draw of getting outside and enjoying the game is just as strong, particularly as we look forward to hosting the Women's and Men's T20 World Cups.
"There remains huge potential to grow the sport even further and open it up to everyone, from all backgrounds and in all parts of the country, building on the great work of organisations such as ACE and Chance to Shine.
"That is why I am so proud we are making a major £35 million investment in grassroots cricket today, to widen participation in schools, encourage healthy lifestyles and provide world-class, all-year-round facilities for local communities."
The project will see cricket domes built in cities hosting matches during the Women's T20 World Cup - currently held by Australia - in 2026 (MARCO LONGARI/AFP via Getty Images)
The news was welcomed by ECB chair, Richard Thompson, who said when appointed that his aim was to make cricket the most inclusive sport in the country.
"We are delighted by this investment from the government," Thomson said. "It's our ambition that cricket becomes the most inclusive sport in the country and that starts by giving children the chance to play from an early age and from whatever background or community they come from.
"It is vital that cricket is available in as many state schools across England and Wales as possible, and across diverse communities. This support from the government represents a seminal moment in enabling the game to invest significantly in areas that up until now have not had the support they deserve.
James Anderson has thrown his weight behind the funding pledge (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
"Cricket is a diverse sport and our game has a unique reach across the UK's population. Hosting both a women's and a men's cricket World Cup between 2026 and 2030, and the inclusion of cricket in the Olympics for the first time in almost 130 years, gives us a platform to reach more young people than ever before and we're really excited about that as a game."
James Anderson, England's all-time leading wicket-taker, also welcomed the news.
"I know from first-hand experience that accessing cricket from a state school is not always the easiest route into the game, so it's fantastic to hear that today's announcement will support state school students," he said.
"Chance To Shine, Lord's Taverners and the ACE Programme all play a huge role in helping to take cricket to young people. It's important that they are supported by the ECB and the Government in delivering their programmes across England and Wales, and I'm sure today's announcement will help bring more young people into cricket."
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