The number of children playing cricket in primary schools, secondary schools and junior clubs has risen by more than ten per cent to 2.4 million, The England and Wales Cricket Board’s 1998-99 Cricket Report revealed today.

The increase represents a major boost for the long-term health of the domestic game on the eve of the first match in the 1999 Cricket World Cup at Lord’s between England and Sri Lanka.

The report’s findings, which are based on annual research carried out by the ECB’s Development Department as part of its annual activities audit, revealed that:

1. The number of secondary school children playing cricket has increased from 600,000 to nearly 790,000.
2. There has been a 25 per cent increase in the number of schools competing in the Wrigley Schools Tournament for primary schoolchildren from just over 4,000 to around 5,000.
3. The number of secondary school girls playing cricket has risen from 83,000 to 138,000.
4. 200 new junior cricket clubs have been formed taking the national total to more than 3,600.
5. More than 35,000 children took part in the ECB’s Kwik Cricket Skills Awards scheme.
6. The number of women’s clubs has risen to 187 with 19 new clubs formed.

In his chairman’s report, the ECB Chairman Lord MacLaurin says: ``Cricket and the ECB are moving positively in the right direction in a tough external climate. There is powerful competition for our potential talent and funding and a pressing need to upgrade facilities and invest more in coaching and development. The progress made in the last year has been very encouraging but we cannot afford to be complacent in the years and months to come''.

Commenting on the report’s findings, the ECB’s Chief Executive Tim Lamb said: ``The growth in levels of participation in schools and junior cricket is extremely encouraging. It suggests that the strategies we have put in place for the long-term development of the game are really beginning to bear fruit.''

The success of these grass roots initiatives coupled with the measures we have taken recently to restructure and improve the domestic first class programme mean that the game has taken a significant step forward in the past year.

The Cricket Report documents in detail the steps the ECB has taken over the last 12 months to increase participation in the game and improve standards of play at all levels. Highlights include:

International

The domestic international programme will be expanded from next season. England will host two countries in 2000, West Indies and Zimbabwe, and play seven Test matches and a 10-match triangular one-day series. Day/Night matches will also be a feature of the oneday international programme for the first time from next summer.

Marketing/Sponsorship

The ECB secured a new four-year broadcasting deal with Channel 4 and BSkyB worth £103 million. Sponsorship agreements were also reached with CGU as sponsors of the new National Cricket League, PPP healthcare (First Class County Championship) and Benson and Hedges (Super Cup).

Domestic Playing Structure

The First Class Counties agreed to a number of significant changes to the domestic playing structure. These include

1. A two division County Championship from 2000 featuring a three-up, three-down system of promotion and relegation.
2. A two division, 45-over National Cricket League from this season featuring a threeup, three-down system of promotion and relegation plus new nicknames for all eighteen teams.
3. The expansion of the NatWest Trophy to sixty teams featuring Recreational Board XIs from the First Class Counties plus Denmark and Huntingdonshire for the first time.
4. The introduction of the Benson and Hedges Super Cup a new 50 Over Competition featuring the top eight teams from the 1998 County Championship.

Floodlit Cricket

More than 90,000 people attended the 13 Day/Night matches staged by seven different Counties in 1998 an average gate of nearly 7,000 per match. Around one in ten of the spectators who attended floodlit matches last year had never attended a County cricket match before. A further 20 floodlit matches in the CGU National Cricket League are scheduled for 1999.

Premier Leagues

Premier League cricket is designed to allow the country’s leading club cricketers to play a longer form of the game more akin to First Class Cricket. Eleven new Premier Leagues will start this season and the ECB anticipates that a national network of 22 Leagues involving 300 clubs will be in place for the 2000 season.

Women’s Cricket

The Women’s Cricket Association’s decision to merge with the ECB created new opportunities for raising the profile of women’s cricket. A National Development Plan for Women’s Cricket was produced and more than 30,000 colour posters promoting cricket for women and girls were distributed nationally. Barbara Daniels also joined the ECB’s senior executive team as National Manager – Women’s Cricket.

Internet

The Lord’s website underwent a radical overhaul and was completely redesigned at the start of 1999 allowing greater branding for both the ECB and MCC. A dedicated World Cup site was also launched. The Lord’s website address is: www.ecb.co.uk.

Coaching

The Rover National Coaching Scheme was re-vamped during 1998 to cover five stages. Former Test captains Graham Gooch and Richie Richardson were among the candidates attending a level III pilot course at Lilleshall National Sports Centre in April of this year. Extensive planning and promotion also took place for Cricket Live 99 – the inaugural Rover World Coaching Conference at Birmingham’s NEC in June.

Equity

The ECB has formed a Racism Study Group in conjunction with the Commission for Racial Equality and Sport England. It is conducting a survey into attitudes towards ethnic minorities in cricket and plans to submit a full report later in the year. The Board also implemented a new equity policy and will shortly announce a new child protection policy.

For further information contact: Andrew Walpole, ECB Media Relations Officer – 0171 432 1252