The UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has pledged a £35 million investment in grassroots cricket facilities and increasing access to the sport in state schools. This initiative will allow more than 900,000 young people to participate in cricket over the next five years.
The investment will be delivered over a period when England and Wales host the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup, the 2030 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, and cricket returns to the Olympics after over 120 years. It includes a major capital programme that will see 16 state-of-the-art all-weather cricket domes built within host cities across England.
The domes are wind-protected and covered, enabling cricket participation year-round. This initiative connects schools, communities, and talent programmes. The domes will be constructed in diverse communities with low levels of physical activity. This follows the opening of the first cricket dome in Bradford in November of last year.
The funding package will allow an extension to the ECB and Chance to Shine's in-school cricket partnership. The extension will focus on children from lower socio-economic groups and ensure that every school child in inner-city locations from across the 16 World Cup host cities can access the program.
Additionally, there will be further investment in the charity Lord's Taverners, with a focus on providing cricket opportunities for 80,000 children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The investment is expected to deliver approximately 2,500 pieces of new equipment to schools participating in the programmes and help 930,000 pupils play cricket over the next five years.
In addition, the ACE programme will receive additional funding to support its efforts to reconnect the black community with cricket.