ECB Launches £5m Fund To Improve Cricket Pitches

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has unveiled plans for a new Grass Pitch Improvement Fund, which will invest £5m of National Lottery funding over three years.

Backed by Sport England, the new scheme will fund around 250 projects, and will aim to target locations in need of quality grass pitches, in order to increase accessibility of the sport.

The ECB’s investment is also intended to enhance women’s and girls’ cricket facilities, as well as improving cricket in diverse communities, disability cricket and in underprivileged areas.

The new fund signifies the ECB’s latest efforts to make the sport more accessible, after the national cricket body recently launched the Big Cricket Conversation in May, which invites fan’s, players and stakeholders to have their say on the sport’s culture.

The ECB will also invest an additional £4m to £5m annually into women’s cricket from 2025 until 2028.

Bruce Cruse, Director of Facilities & Infrastructure at the ECB, said, “This fund is designed for those pitches in need of real help, to invest in them and improve them, making them safe and enjoyable for a game of cricket.

“It will mean clubs and cricket organisations most in need of support will have another opportunity to access funding and, with these new facilities, we are confident that they can attract more people from the local area to play more often.”

Phil Smith, Executive Director of Partnerships at Sport England, added, “Our ambition is for everyone to have the opportunity to get active and play the sport they choose, regardless of who they are or where they live.

“Improving local cricket facilities and pitches will give more people the chance to get involved and enjoy the incredible benefits of sport within their communities.”

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