Adult cricket also on the rise with 10,000 more fixtures played than in the 2019 Cricket World Cup summer; ECB partners with Sky Sports to take cricket into underprivileged areas and with Sport England to train 1,000 South Asian women to deliver All Stars and Dynamos Cricket
Friday 20 August 2021 16:14, UK
Over 101,000 children played All Stars and Dynamos Cricket in 2021 during a record-breaking summer of participation.
The England and Wales Cricket Board's All Stars initiative for 5-8-year-olds and Dynamos scheme for 8-11-year-olds offer kids the chance to get active and learn cricket skills in sessions runs by local cricket clubs, schools, community and leisure centres and faith institutions across the country.
Dynamos Cricket, linked directly to The Hundred, introduced kids to countdown cricket and gave participants experiences such as a coaching session on Lord's Nursery Ground.
The ECB says 27,000 girls, 13,000 children from ethnically diverse backgrounds, and over 3,000 disabled children picked up a bat and ball this summer through All Stars and Dynamos.
Adult recreational cricket is also on the rise, with 10,000 more fixtures played than in the 2019 Cricket World Cup summer, while the ECB says there was a 230 per cent increase in the number of junior fixtures in August 2021 compared to the average number in that month across 2017-19.
There were also 738 additional events during June's Women's Big Cricket Month to try and drive participation with women and girls.
ECB chief executive officer Tom Harrison said: "It is inspiring to see so many young people playing cricket this year. At all ages, record numbers have taken to the field, with more players and more fixtures than ever.
"This provides cricket in England and Wales with a strong platform to build from in future so that we can encourage even more people to pick up a bat and ball.
"Thank you to all the players, clubs, coaches and volunteers who give up their time to make cricket what it is. We want to encourage even more people to follow in the footsteps of those who have fallen in love with the sport this summer."
The ECB has also partnered with Sky Sports to launch Dynamos Cricket Intros, with the aim to reach children who might otherwise not have had access to cricket and enable schools and community centres in underprivileged areas to provide courses for free.
The partnership has helped over 10,000 kids in 2021, with Jofra Archer and Sarah Taylor encouraging children to play through online skills sessions.
The ECB has also partnered with Sport England to train 1,000 South Asian women to deliver All Stars and Dynamos Cricket as part of the South Asian Action Plan.
Funding has also been provided for 2,750 people from ethnically diverse backgrounds to become accredited cricket coaches.
