Lancashire Cricket have aannounced that long-term commercial partners Sportsbreaks.com and inspiresport have committed a six-figure sum to support the continued development of women’s and girls’ cricket across the North West over the next three years.
Sportsbreaks.com and inspiresport, existing partners of Lancashire Cricket and part of Manchester-based global sports travel group Destination Sport Group, have provided significant funding to facilitate a comprehensive programme ranging from grassroots to the Thunder first-team squad.
Through this investment, a new community programme has been created throughout the North West, with free sessions and equipment set to enable the next generation of girls’ cricketers to pick up a bat and ball for the first time.
The first session was launched by England and Thunder all-rounder Kate Cross last month at her childhood Club – Heywood Cricket Club – which saw young girls training and playing alongside Cross and team-mate Olivia Thomas who led the initial session.
The support will also provide funding to help the Thunder’s county age-group players, by purchasing a new minibus for the Academy, age-group, and disability squads to travel on for away fixtures, whilst also covering additional strength and conditioning support within the pathway development programme for U11-18 players.
Furthermore, funding provided by Sportsbreaks.com and inspiresport will support a warm-weather training camp to Mumbai this month, which will become an annual trip to allow Thunder’s professional players to enhance their skills in overseas conditions. Newly appointed Head Coach Chris Read will lead the squad – hosted at Reliance Park, home to the Mumbai Indians, as the squad continue their preparations ahead of the new season.
Daniel Gidney, Chief Executive Officer of Lancashire Cricket, said: “Sportsbreaks.com and inspiresport have been an amazing partner for Lancashire Cricket for a number of years and they are now going even further with their support. This funding is a game changer for women’s and girls’ cricket in the region and I would like to thank the team at Sportsbreaks.com and inspiresport for their continued commitment.
“It is an incredible investment from top to bottom. Our First Team players will really benefit from the overseas camp to Mumbai later this month, whilst Lancashire Thunder’s Academy and age-group players will have the benefits of easier travel to away matches and additional strength and conditioning coaching at an age when it is so important to their future development.
“Grassroots cricket is another key focus of ours, as we aim to inspire the next generation of Thunder players in the North West. We are really pleased that this support from Sportsbreaks.com and inspiresport also allows us to invest further into community cricket programmes – work which is already underway alongside our Lancashire Cricket Foundation.”
Paul Hemingway, Managing Director of Destination Sport Group, added: “As a business headquartered in Manchester, we’re hugely proud of our partnership with Lancashire Cricket.
“At Destination Sport Group, we’re proud to be involved in all levels of sport from grassroots through to elite, so it is fitting to support this wide-ranging programme.
“Supporting women’s and girl’s sport is something we feel passionate about and we’re excited to work closely with Lancashire Cricket to propel women’s cricket to the forefront of everyone’s minds.”
Thunder bowler Laura Jackson, commented: “It is amazing to see the significant funding from Sportsbreaks.com and inspiresport and to see the investment going towards a number of different avenues is great.
“I am particularly pleased to see funding for branded kit bags for community cricket clubs – including softball and hardball cricket equipment such as balls, bats, pads, and helmets enabling women and girls to ‘pick up and play’ at their local clubs. This is so important, and it is vital that we do all we can to ensure cricket is as accessible as possible.”
