England stars urge kids to get playing as 2024 is on track to be record year for kids’ cricket

The latest ECB campaign is encouraging more people to find their way to play, no matter if that is casual cricket at home, in the street, at the local park, at school, or at a local club or community project.

England stars and school children have joined forces to urge more kids to pick up a bat and ball - showcasing all the ways in which people play cricket, whether in the back garden, at school, in the park, in the street, on the beach or at their local club.

England captains Ben Stokes and Heather Knight feature in a new video, alongside Men’s legend and record wicket-taker Jimmy Anderson and England Men’s Deaf team international Joel Harris. In what is set to be a record year for kids’ participation in cricket, they appear alongside school children with the ambition of inspiring even more children to take up the sport, by giving their own perspectives on what cricket is to them, from playing in packed out stadiums to playing in the back garden with friends and family.

Alongside the new video, the ECB has collaborated with the campaigning organisation Playing Out to raise awareness of how local communities can safely close roads for outside play, encouraging them to get active and enjoy the game safely even in areas where outdoor space is limited. Links to Playing Out’s materials will be available through the ECB website to make it easier for communities to act.

Featuring next to the England stars are children from Mayfield Primary School in Oldham, including Elliot, aged 9 and Olivia, aged 10 who share why they love cricket. Elliot explains that he loves playing at his club because his teammates are so motivational, while Olivia likes playing cricket with her best friend Abigail, who says she is a really good bowler.

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