AI, real-time data and analytics can enhance the performance of England teams

The ECB’s ground-breaking partnership with Microsoft puts technology at the heart of delivering long-lasting benefits across all levels of cricket.

The relationship aims to accelerate the ECB’s strategic plan ‘Inspiring Generations’ to grow cricket, connect communities and improve lives, and aligns with Microsoft’s mission to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more.

Utilising Microsoft’s world-leading approach to technology the partnership will unlock a range of opportunities from driving innovation across the ECB’s elite teams to providing life-changing skills at grassroots level.

The partnership is set to redefine sport-technology relationships as it will focus on innovative and purpose-led initiatives to establish meaningful and sustainable changes across three key areas: Cricket Communities, High Performance and Cultural Transformation.

Digital skills training is set to be provided to grassroot cricket communities over the coming years, which will contribute to Microsoft’s ‘Get On’ campaign, designed to help 1.5 million people build careers in technology by 2024.

This will provide opportunities to people across cricket, from volunteers to young participants, to develop new life skills.

The ECB is also working with Microsoft to explore how artificial intelligence, real-time data and analytics can inform the performance of England’s national teams.

The partnership is set to investigate whether ball-tracking technology can help to unearth the next generation of elite cricketers and engage more diverse talent across the whole game.