THE Wollen Michelmore South Devon Youth Cricket League is set to offer youngsters in South Devon the opportunity to experience cricket in a whole new light in 2017 thanks to a new sponsorship arrangement with Serious Cricket.
The league will be encouraging member clubs to enhance the match-day experience for their junior players through the adoption of coloured clothing, pink balls and zing bails as well as providing more atmosphere at games and more coverage of junior cricket on social media.
This move is being supported by a new strategic partnership with Serious Cricket.
Serious Cricket supplies coloured cricket clothing to cricket clubs around the country and kits for clubs who reach the finals of the ECB's national club T20 competitions.
Using the hashtag 'havingablast', the league are offering an award to the club making the greatest effort to upgrade their junior match-day experience and who also provide coverage of games through channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Chris Partridge, the chairman of the league, said: “We are delighted to enter into this partnership with Serious Cricket
Like us they recognise the importance of making junior cricket matches resemble the high-octane experience that young players see when they watch tournaments such as the NatWest T20 Blast, IPL, Kia Women’s Super League and Big Bash.
“This sponsorship agreement allows us to incentivise clubs to ensure junior club cricket is more closely aligned to the professional game – and to reward the club who demonstrate the greatest commitment to enhancing the experience for their young players.
“The whole concept of #havingablast is to enthuse and engage young players - especially teenagers - so that clubs find it easier to recruit and retain cricketers which will ultimately support both their junior and senior teams.”
The league will soon be inviting entries for the 2017 and offering a competition structure that includes Kwik cricket festivals, league cricket for seven different age groups plus cup competitions for all-girls teams and older juniors.
The league are noted nationwide as innovators and started a new festival-based competition for the youngest players this year.
Chairman Partridge was nominated for an ECB OSCA – outstanding service to cricket award – this year for his work with the league..
Any club interested in joining the league should contact Partridge on 07887 513 800.
