Latest update

The Network’s discussions on club-related issues – anything and everything around running a cricket club – take place in a closed LinkedIn group accessible by members only.   So, if you are involved in running a club, please join by following the simple instructions here.

New discussions this week:

Other current discussions:

The full library of past discussions with links to individual posts can be found on the Network’s website here

Funding and funders

We posted a link to the Charity Excellence database of community/charity funding organisations in the notes from the May 7 Network webinar.

Still the most comprehensive we have seen and now up to 903 different funding sources.

Most will not be relevant but the database can be sorted by location, focus and scale of funding required/available. You will need to register.

We would be keen to hear who has had any success with funding – Covid-19 emergency or otherwise – from agencies and funders other than government schemes. ECB? Sport England? Others?

Any new or novel sources you have tapped into?

And those who have used Crowdfunding……..any unanticipated results? Have you managed to reach out beyond your membership and immediate community?

Love to hear about the successes………….and frustrations!

Add your comments to the post in the LinkedIn group here.

Playing in 2020 – poll results

The poll has closed with nearly 750 club responses – around 40% of all Clubmark clubs – in little over a week.

58% of you want to get the game on and, if league cricket is now unlikely, you’re looking for guidance on what’s possible to deliver meaningful cricket at some point this summer. The ECB Routemap published last night sets out what progress might look like.

However, nearly 30% of respondents are keen to play whatever form of cricket, whenever that is possible. And that might be ahead of or without official guidance, if it comes to it, so long as legal and insurance requirements are met.

13% of respondents think the practicalities of putting the game on make meaningful cricket unviable and we should focus instead on keeping the family silver safe for a return in 2021.

Some further analysis using raw data:

How and when are we getting the game on?

These are the questions uppermost on people’s minds and the focus of the next Network webinars on Thursday 11 June at 4.00pm and 8.00pm.

The webinars will cover some key issues:

  • The Playing in 2020 poll results and why people voted the way they did
  • Where are we with getting back on the field, what are the main challenges, and what might the game look like?
  • What’s stopping us getting the game on, now, and can clubs really ‘go it alone’?
  • Is no cricket in 2020 an option?
  • How do clubs participate in the decision making and what can we contribute to the recovery

I am delighted we will be joined in the 4.00pm session by guest contributors to help frame the discussion:

  • Richard Cox is ECB’s Head of West Midlands region, former CEO of the Dutch Cricket Board, and integrally involved in cricket’s response to the crisis
  • Alastair Symondson is Head of Media at CricketWorld and has published challenging digital articles advocating an early return to the field
  • Colin Mico is a member of the Network’s advisory board as cricket development lead at Caterham CC and one of the leading club insurance experts

The 8.00pm session will reflect on what we heard and broaden the discussion.

We want to ensure the sessions are as interactive as possible and draw on the wealth of evidence and views already on show in Network discussions.

If you want to join one of the webinars, simply post a comment with the time you prefer to attend – 4.00pm or 8.00pm – on this post in the LinkedIn group. We will add the simple joining instructions there ahead of the events.

If you haven’t already spent the one minute responding to the Poll – and over 730 clubs have to date – you have until midnight tonight and you can find it here.

Playing in 2020

With league cricket looking increasingly unlikely, leagues and clubs are already exploring other options.

That, of course, is dependent on the development of appropriate playing conditions to comply with government guidelines.

To gauge a club view, we have put together a one question poll with three options and asking you to identify which option best fits with how you see your club’s view on its appetite for cricket in 2020. 

There are a few identifying questions – name, club, county,  league(s) – but, as usual,  the results will only be published in aggregate and anonymised form

So please take a minute to complete the poll HERE

Network COVID-19 Webinars

*********UPDATE********** Registration will close at 15:00 on Thursday

In view of the many issues confronting clubs in the current situation we have arranged a webinar so that members can share their challenges, news, questions and learning for the benefit of all.  You can join online and/or phone using simple to access conference call technology.  We have set two times – 4.00pm and 8.00pm – on Thursday 7 May to enable as many people as possible to join one or other. 

Each webinar will be moderated to allow as much free discussion as the technology can accommodate.  We will seek to keep to a hard cut off at one hour but may look to organise future events should the demand become apparent.  The webinar joining details will be sent shortly before the first call.   

To help facilitate arrangements, please spend one minute answering a few questions in the survey here   

COVID-19 Preparedness Survey

This short survey is based on information gathered to date for all clubs to self-assess the state of their preparations for dealing with the COVID-19 emergency. The results will inform our rolling webinar series supporting clubs at this time.

All the information collected will be treated as confidential and only used in aggregate and anonymised form. The results will also be shared with Network members and survey participants.

Please take the average 4-5 minutes to complete the survey here.

ECB unveils £61m interim support package for professional and recreational cricket

The England and Wales Cricket Board today announced a £61 million package to help cricket withstand the financial impact of COVID-19.

An extra budget of just over £20m will become available to the recreational game through a cricket club support loan scheme, grants through the “Return to Cricket” scheme and a 12-month holiday on loan repayments for recreational clubs.