ECB teams up with Google

Cricket clubs across England and Wales can benefit from digital skills webinars as part of a new partnership between the ECB and Google Digital Garage.

Becoming the first national governing body to team up with Google Digital Garage, the ECB is offering recreational cricket clubs the chance to learn about digital marketing and improving their online presence.

Face-to-face sessions in London, Bristol and Leeds were postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but the sessions will now be run virtually by Google Digital Garage’s expert trainers. The three webinars will run weekly on Monday mornings at 9.30am from June 15, with each session live streamed on YouTube and lasting an hour.

To register, visit the ECB’S website.

ECB’S director of participation and growth Nick Pryde said: “We’re delighted to still be able to offer hundreds of clubs access to free digital training in partnership with Google Digital Garage.

“We’re always looking for innovative ways to support the recreational game, which is the lifeblood of the sport, so the ability to run these sessions online will provide a real boost to clubs.

“In these challenging times, clubs will be looking to connect with their members digitally, as well as attracting new members for when play resumes across the country.”

Sports minister Nigel Huddleston said: “Local cricket clubs are so valuable to communities across the country and it’s brilliant to see the worlds of sport and tech coming together in this way.

“I urge clubs to take advantage of this opportunity to build their digital skills so they can expand their online reach, and attract new members for when it’s safe to resume their normal activities.”

Google Digital Drive is one of the company’s flagship investment programmes in the UK, where anyone can learn free digital skills through a range of courses and sessions. Since it was launched in 2015, more than 400,000 people have benefitted from Google’s free face-to-face training on digital know-how across 500 UK locations.