Tens of thousands of boys and girls across the country have played cricket for the first time this summer thanks to All Stars Cricket.
More than 37,000 kids aged five to eight took part in year one of the programme in over 1,500 centres across England and Wales, with thousands taking part across Durham, Northumberland & Cumbria’s cricket boards.
The programme has successfully introduced new families to the game with over seven in ten of those who signed their kids up being new to their local club. Parents joined in the fun, with 70% of sessions receiving parental support.
Durham teamed up with Durham Cricket Board to offer the unique Sticker Book initiative, with each child receiving a sticker for each of the eight sessions before being invited down to All Stars Day at Emirates Riverside, the final NatWest T20 Blast home match of the season against Birmingham Bears.
Nationwide, over 1,500 kids have had their chance to meet their heroes or play on the pitch during the international summer thanks to the money-can’t-buy opportunities that All Stars offers. Youngsters have quizzed the England teams – both men and women – in the build-up to games, practised on the same pitch and enjoyed All Stars sessions at international venues during the international intervals.
The programme is also introducing a new generation of coaches. Three-quarters (74%) of the 4,136 All Stars Activators are new to the game, which equates to around 3,000 new coaches to inspire the next generation.
Matt Dwyer, ECB Director of Participation and Growth said: “Through All Stars Cricket, tens of thousands of boys and girls have played, enjoyed and benefited from getting involved in cricket for the very first time.
“This is a first but very significant step in our plans to grow the game and get a bat and ball in the hands of more people across England and Wales.
“We have ambitious plans for All Stars to give more children a great first experience and make sure this starts a lifelong association with the game.