Cricketing Culture

Cricketers from South Asian communities have received a boost after the Lancashire Cricket Board (LCB) received funding from the England and Wales Cricket Board to deliver coaching programmes.

 

Over the past two seasons, Lancashire, led by Qasim Ali, have run successful Talent Search competitions to identify talented cricketers from a South Asian background. 

 

With findings from the National Cricket Playing Survey, it is recognised that the communities continue to provide growth opportunities for cricket in Lancashire with a need to focus on retention in these groups.

 

From the success of the Talent Search programme and the survey findings, the LCB along with Qasim have successfully held the Lord’s Taverners City Cup, a T20 competition designed specifically to help promote participation, social cohesion and provide these players with a pathway to a professional career.

 

The LCB has made good in-roads into these communities already with the creation of the Minority Ethnic Communities Cricket Forum which was set up in 2002, which drives development for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities forward.

 

Additionally the funding fits in with the LCB’s Clubs and Leagues Department priorities and programmes within the city of Manchester.

 

Qasim, lead coach at the indoor school, said: “The interest and success of our talent search programmes clearly demonstrates that there is a large appetite for cricket within the South Asian communities of the north west.

 

“This funding will allow us to enhance our provision and grow opportunities for cricketers from a South Asian background.”

Bobby Denning, LCB’s managing director, said: “We are grateful to the ECB for this additional funding to deliver in this key growth area for cricket.

 

“In Lancashire we have 413,235 people (7.1% of population) from South Asian communities and this is a good start for us to concentrate and expand our delivery within these communities. Crucially we can offer further opportunities whilst joining these up with existing programmes – it covers all three aspects of what we are about – the funding allows us to recruit, retain and develop cricket and more specifically within South Asian communities.”

 

Rudra Singh, LCB’s education manager, who has worked with the BME communities and set up the MEC Cricket Forum, added: “30% of cricket in this country is played by people from South Asian communities. South Asians are six times more likely to play cricket and this is a huge segment for us to continue to support.”