ECB launches Building Partnerships - cricket's strategic plan

19 April 2005

ECB chief executive David Collier introduces Building Partnerships, watched by Sir Trevor McDonald, who compered the launch

The England and Wales Cricket Board has unveiled the blueprint for cricket’s continued success and development over the next four years.

ECB chairman David Morgan and ECB chief executive David Collier today launched Building Partnerships at Featherstone High School in Southall, west London, with England captains Michael Vaughan and Clare Connor supporting the plan.

Building Partnerships, which maintains the ECB’s theme of ‘From playground to Test arena’, is built on four key pillars:

Effective leadership and governance
Vibrant domestic game
Enthusing participation and following, especially among young people
Successful England teams

The key initiatives are:

Effective leadership and governance

Reducing governance of the ECB to three committees – cricket, finance and commercial – by 2006
Reducing the ECB’s Management Board membership from 18 members to 12 members – subject to approval at the ECB’s summer 2005 AGM
Making 25 per cent of the fee payments to First Class Counties performance-related by December 2009
Vibrant domestic game*

Incentivising Counties to provide performance analysis for England qualified cricketers
Providing performance-related fee payments to Counties for producing England cricketers
Aiming to increase domestic audiences by 15 per cent at County matches over four years
Rewarding Minor Counties with an average age of under 26
Enthusing participation and a following*

Increasing coaching in schools and clubs to 20,000 sessions per annum by 2009
Expanding the number of focus clubs from 165 to 1000 by 2009
Developing an ECB £5 million interest-free loan to grass roots clubs over the next four years
Successful England teams*

Implementing rewards for Counties who produce England players
Establishing an England development squad of 25 players from which the senior men’s Test and ODI teams can be selected
Developing heroes – three England cricket ‘superstars’ known by ten per cent of population by 2009
Playing England A matches against tourists
Expanding Loughborough to be the England National Cricket Centre, not just the England National Academy

ECB Chairman David Morgan said: “This is a strategic plan for cricket, not just for the ECB. It clarifies roles and provides targets for everyone involved in cricket. The ECB has already received broad support for this plan from all our stakeholders and partners.”

ECB Chief Executive David Collier (left) said: “Cricket is set for some exciting changes from reducing the level of governance right through to increasing our commitment to developing the game at a grassroots level within clubs and schools.”

Having recently returned from the Women’s World Cup in South Africa, after leading England to the semi-finals, Clare Connor (above) said: “I think to have a clear vision of where the women’s game is headed is very important and I think it’s also important that the players and everyone involved in the women’s game, including the volunteers, know that the women’s game has been given that attention.”

Michael Vaughan, who joined Connor in conducting a coaching clinic for several young cricket fans at today’s launch, said: “It’s important that you focus on the job that you’re given, trying to win the game that you’re playing in or the series you’re playing in, but you’ve also got to have an eye on the future and it’s great that this plan has got that eye on the future.

"I’m certainly happy with the performance related development of the County scene, Counties getting rewarded for developing English-based players.

“The crucial facts of the last year or so are that England has had a number of heroes for the kids to look up to – there are a lot of people talking about cricket now.”

Building Partnerships will come into effect from 2006 although several strategies will commence during 2005.

View the Building Partnerships launch video