ECB publishes Impact of Cricket Report

• The first-of-its-kind report focuses on the impact the sport has on people and communities
• The ECB worked with The Sports Consultancy (TSC), who assessed the ECB’s projects, programmes and data in recent years, and the outcomes and impacts that they deliver
• The report shows how cricket keeps people fit and healthy, builds children’s confidence and has positive impacts on communities and social cohesion
• The Impact of Cricket also captures the growth of the sport in 2023 and the efforts underway to become more sustainable and resilient to climate change

The ECB has today published its first Impact of Cricket Report, looking at the effect that the sport has on the people and communities in England and Wales.

The report demonstrates the benefits that cricket brings to people’s lives by helping them to be more active, supporting mental wellbeing and fostering connections in local communities. Some selected findings below show that:

Cricket improves people’s lives –

• 80% of players agreed that playing cricket keeps them active in a way that they wouldn’t be without it.
• 83% of parents say their child’s confidence has been boosted by taking part in the ECB’s All Stars and Dynamos programmes.
• 78% of players agreed cricket helps them to develop skills that are useful in their personal and professional lives.

Cricket connects communities –

• 92% of players agreed playing makes them feel part of the community.
• 79% of volunteers believe their volunteering has had a positive impact on their community.
• 83% of players agreed that playing cricket means they appreciate people from different backgrounds.

By growing the game, more people will benefit from these positive impacts, with the ECB’s activities and initiatives supporting the long-term future of cricket and creating more opportunities for people to get involved in the sport. Some examples include -

• 1.1 million children played cricket through ECB programmes, partner programmes or organised play last year.
• 2023 has seen 717 new women’s and girls’ teams – a 20% growth in the last year.
• 526 recreational clubs have been funded to make their facilities more accessible and welcoming in a single year due to a focus on breaking down barriers to people getting involved.
• Access to cricket in urban areas is improving thanks to money targeted into the most deprived areas, with over 30,000 players engaged to play through hubs which bring together cricket and other local services.
• With support from the #Funds4Runs initiative with LV=, over 3,000 bursaries have helped people from underrepresented groups to start coaching cricket since 2021.

Richard Gould, ECB Chief Executive Officer, said: “The Impact of Cricket demonstrates the power of our sport and the positive effect it can have on the lives of players, fans or volunteers - and on the communities where it is played.

“By going through the process of producing an impact report, it was our aim to learn more, both about what is working well and where there are opportunities to have greater impact. Our ambition is to make cricket the most inclusive sport in England and Wales. While we know we have much more work to do, this report shows that cricket is delivering significant benefits today and that we have solid foundations on which to deliver lasting change, to more people, in future.”

The Sports Consultancy worked with the ECB to assess a wide range of data sources linked to ECB activity - and ECB partner activity, with counties, charity partners and commercial partners – in the delivery of cricket across 2022 and 2023.

Sian Jenkins, Director at The Sports Consultancy, said: “TSC is delighted to have supported the ECB to explore the impact of cricket in England and Wales. Our findings show the clear benefits that the sport is bringing to millions of people who engage with the game, keeping people healthy and bringing communities together. It’s also great to see the range of different initiatives and programmes being delivered by the ECB and partners to make cricket more accessible to people from all walks of life.”

The full Impact of Cricket Report can be found here.

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