2010 is NatWest’s 30th season as a sponsor of cricket in England and Wales.

This makes NatWest the longest-serving sponsor of cricket anywhere in the world and one of the most long-standing supporters of any sport.

Throughout this time, NatWest’s sponsorship of cricket at first-class and international level has been underpinned by an ongoing commitment to nurturing the sport at community level.

Harrow St Mary's was one of the national showcase clubs at NatWest CricketForce 2010

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Over the past 30 years, NatWest has demonstrated a commitment to supporting cricket at community level. In addition to sponsoring youth cricket across the country since the 1980s, NatWest has also been the title sponsor of the ECB’s grassroots programme – NatWest CricketForce – since 2002.

This campaign, which encourages volunteers to help redevelop their local cricket club’s facilities, now boasts the largest volunteer programme in sport with over 85,000 volunteers taking part at 1,642 clubs in 2010.

“Participation is central to the health of the game," said Mike Gatting. "In order to sustain participation levels the game needs substantially enhanced investment in facilities and NatWest CricketForce ensures self help for clubs to improve their facilities and hence participation."

NatWest also sponsors the national cricketing volunteer awards, the OSCAs (Outstanding Service to Cricket Awards). These awards recognise those volunteers who give so much of their time to the game of cricket and without whose commitment the game would not survive.

Richard Taylor, of NatWest, and Alastair Cook present an award at last year's OSCAs at Lord's

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This year NatWest became the proud title sponsor of the Under-15 National Club Championship, helping to nurture the development of the next generation of players, as it has done for the past 30 seasons.

Over the past 30 summers, NatWest has become synonymous with limited overs cricket and in this time the game has developed beyond recognition.

In 1981, the bank became naming sponsor of the NatWest Trophy, with many of the biggest names in cricket including Sir Ian Botham, Mike Gatting, Graham Gooch, Sir Richard Hadlee, Graeme Hick, Sir Clive Lloyd and Sir Vivian Richards playing their part in making the NatWest Trophy a much loved and sought-after title to win.

In 2000, NatWest took its involvement in cricket to the next level and, building on its 20 year heritage in limited-overs cricket, became the title sponsor of England’s home one-day internationals. From 2005, this has also comprised the most significant development in international cricket of the past decade, the introduction of Twenty20.

A jubilant Blackheath celebrate after they won the 2008 Under-15 National Club Championships

In 2010, England will play 13 one-day internationals and two international T20s against Australia, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

NatWest’s involvement has not been limited to men’s elite cricket either. It has also been a major supporter of women’s cricket. The England women’s team has made great strides over the past 30 years to the point that in 2009, the squad won the ICC World Cup and the inaugural ICC T20 Women’s World Cup on home soil as well as retaining the Ashes.

To find out more about NatWest’s 30 years in cricket and your chance to win tickets please click here.