Freddie launches ASDA Kwik Cricket

24 May 2006

Andrew Flintoff and Charlotte Edwards launched the ASDA Kwik Cricket competition © Getty Images

England captain Andrew Flintoff launched the England and Wales Cricket Board’s flagship junior cricket competition, ASDA Kwik Cricket, and encouraged children across the country to get involved in the new-look programme.

Flintoff, who will lead England out against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston on Thursday, sees ASDA Kwik Cricket as the ideal way of enthusing participation in cricket at a grassroots level.

Andrew Flintoff and friends © Getty Images

“Kwik Cricket has always been a great way for kids to get involved in the game, whether they are looking to play cricket at school or at their local club,” Flintoff said.

“ASDA Kwik Cricket aims to further build on that by taking the game to more children in more schools and clubs and I’d encourage kids to get involved in what is a great competition.

“With the demand for cricket so strong at the moment this is an ideal way to get out there and enjoy the game.

"With a young family of my own I know how important it is for children to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. Kwik Cricket and ASDA do this by linking healthy eating with an active lifestyle through sport, in particular cricket."

A modified format of cricket focusing on the game’s core skills and rules, Kwik Cricket has involved nearly one million children in its structured county, regional and national competitions since it’s inception in 1988.

The ECB, in conjunction with ASDA, aims to make ASDA Kwik Cricket available to all 18,000 primary schools in England and Wales by 2008. In 2006 alone, the ASDA Kwik Cricket competition is set to involve in excess of 10,000 teams and over 100,000 youngsters.

Kwik Cricket has been designed by the ECB to take young cricketers all the way from the playground to the Test arena to create future generations of England stars.

ASDA's head of local marketing, Richard Woodhall, said: "What we eat is just one aspect of being healthy.

"By signing up Freddie, we hope to encourage youngsters from around the country to join in a sport and in this case its cricket. Through the ASDA Kwik Cricket competition we look forward to hopefully finding some youngsters to give him a run for his money!"

David Collier, ECB chief executive, said: “The ASDA Kwik Cricket competition is a key developmental format of the game and encourages boys and girls of all ages to get involved in cricket.

“It also has strong links to the national curriculum while generating a strong connection between schools and clubs in the community.”

John Perera, ECB’s commercial director, added: “We are delighted that we have attracted another blue chip sponsor to cricket in England and Wales. It is particularly pleasing that ASDA’s support comes from a new and exciting commercial sector for the game.”