There is a widespread public misperception that ALL cricket at ALL levels in England and Wales - indeed throughout the UK - is awash with sponsorship monies and, accordingly, is in prime health.

Whilst this is certainly true of the professional game, unfortunately it is not so for the non-professional, recreational/community, club game; i.e. for the literally thousands of different amateur cricket clubs nationwide run by volunteers who represent the heart, soul, life-blood - and future - of cricket.

In England and Wales, for example, whilst there are a few, highly laudable, initiatives such as ASDA's sponsorship of 'Kwik Cricket' for primary school children; nPower's Urban Cricket initiative aimed at getting young children interested in playing the game; the ECB Trust's A Chance to Shine drive to re-introduce cricket back into selected state schools; and nPower's sponsorship of The Wisden Cricketer's annual National Village Cup Competition; the fact is that very little from the sponsorship millions received by the professional game either percolates down to support - or is specifically budgeted for long-term investment in the development of - the rank and file heartland levels of recreational/community club cricket where it is desperately needed; particularly by those clubs that are struggling to survive, avoid merger, or are seeking to set up and develop junior and women's sections to attract into cricket more coaches, players and members from their local communities and local catchment area schools that no longer offer cricket as part of their sports curriculum.

FACTS

Throughout the UK:

• the professional game represents less than 1% of all cricket played, while in the non-professional, recreational/community club game there are c8,800 clubs and 2,300,000 dedicated individuals and their families who actively participate each year;
  
  
• faced with ever-steeply rising costs in all areas, the number of recreational/community cricket clubs - some with a history going back more than 150 years - that are finding it necessary either to fold or to merge is increasing at an alarming rate;
  
  
• schools' sports grounds and local authorities' playing fields continue to be sold off for housing and commercial development;
  
  
• women's cricket, cricket for those with physical disabilities, the deaf, blind and partially-sighted, and the Over-50s are particularly poorly funded and under-supported;
  
  
• many clubs running large junior sections for Under 9 to Under 17 year-olds are finding that - for reasons into which the International Community Cricket Trust is currently conducting an in-depth national study - a majority fail to continue on in the club to play for the senior XIs.
  
  
  
  It is specifically to address - and to help recreational/community cricket clubs overcome the impact of - these problems that the International Community Cricket Trust has been founded as a FREELY-available one-stop-resource able to offer them innovative, long-term, practical help and support services.
  
  For details on how YOUR CLUB could benefit from the activities and support programmes of the International Community Cricket Trust, go to the On-Side cricket website.