ECB launches schools cricket programmes targeting 1.5 million children

The England and Wales Cricket Board has launched two national programmes aimed at widening access to cricket in state secondary schools across England and Wales. According to the governing body's announcement, the schemes aim to provide opportunities for more than 1.5 million children by the end of 2028.

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Cricket For Teachers offers free training for PE staff, with schools receiving equipment, teaching materials and continued support. Sky Sports reported that the programme is intended to help teachers deliver sessions for pupils of all abilities, building their confidence and knowledge alongside the practical resources available to them.

The second initiative, Secondary Countdown Cricket, introduces a soft-ball competition for students aged 11 to 16. The ECB says the format can be used indoors or outdoors. The national rollout follows a pilot during the 2025-26 academic year, with funding for Recreational Cricket Boards to offer both schemes locally.

The ECB plans to support 650 secondary schools in each of the next two academic years. Including the pilot, its target is more than 1,700 schools and over 3,500 trained teachers. Those are intended outcomes, rather than completed totals: the board says more than 700 teachers from over 425 schools have already finished the training.

Former England bowler Chris Woakes has backed the launch, Sky Sports reported. The two-time World Cup winner, who made 217 international appearances across the formats and retired from England duty in 2025, credited school and community opportunities with helping him discover cricket. He said expanding those opportunities could introduce the sport to children who had not previously played.

The announcement comes against a backdrop of unequal access to professional cricket. BBC Sport reported that a Sutton Trust study published earlier this year found 59% of male professional cricketers and 50% of female professionals had been privately educated. The new initiatives form part of the ECB's ambition to reach half of state secondary schools by the end of 2028.

Speaking at the Lord's launch, ECB chair Richard Thompson told the BBC that improving teachers' coaching skills was a priority. He also highlighted opportunities for boys and girls to play together until 16, and for later-developing players to find a route into hard-ball cricket.