Cricket ECB and Sky want more youngsters batting and bowling

SKY Sports has partnered with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to launch Dynamos Cricket Intros, a new multi-year initiative which champions inclusion, encouraging more children to take up the game of cricket regardless of gender, ability, or background.

With the ambition of reaching children who might not ordinarily have access to cricket for a variety of reasons, the three-year investment will enable schools and community centres in underprivileged areas to provide courses for free.

Following the ECB’s launch of Dynamos Cricket, a new eightweek, paid-for countdown cricket course delivered in clubs and centres for 8 to 11-year-olds, Sky Sports and the ECB are adding Dynamos Cricket Intros, a free introductory initiative targeting 100 towns and cities across the UK.

Launching on June 1, Dynamos Cricket Intros is designed to tackle barriers and inspire the next generation to pick up a bat and ball, particularly in urban areas, by introducing children to a simplified and more dynamic game of countdown cricket. The Dynamos Cricket Intros scheme will offer training to 300 new coaches. Once trained, they will span 150 schools and 150 community centres across the UK to encourage more children to try the game this summer at no cost.

Applications to take part in this new coach training scheme are open from today via The Hundred Rising, a new programme of opportunities designed to open cricket up to new audiences. Finally, a series of videos featuring England star Jofra Archer and Tammy Beaumont will be made available to all via the Sky Sports YouTube channel.

Rob Webster, managing director of Sky Sports, said: “As a longstanding partner of the ECB we have invested in Dynamos Cricket Intros to tackle head-on some of the biggest barriers to participation.”

Nick Pryde, ECB director of participation and growth, said: “As we launch The Hundred this year, we’re excited to join forces with Sky on this project to help break down barriers to entry and inspire cricket’s future generations.”

The Hundred is a new 100-ball cricket competition created by the ECB and set to begin on July 21.