Growing The Game – Hampshire’s Record Year For Grassroots Cricket In 2022

The growth of grassroots cricket in Hampshire is a top priority at The Ageas Bowl, and its success is built on the one-game approach the Club has taken, linking the success of the professional teams with that of the recreational game.

Inspiring young people to try cricket is a key pillar of this strategy. In 2022, over 25,000 children were actively participating in cricket through school, club and community programmes. Central to this success was the continued growth of All Stars and Dynamos cricket sessions, which offer opportunities for 5-11-year-olds to play cricket and develop their skills in a fun, inclusive environment.

For the past ten years, Hampshire has been a leader in the development of women & girls cricket and 2022 was no different. The Women’s game continues to go from strength to strength with nearly 2,000 women and girls involved in the sport across 46 clubs in the County. Hampshire’s pioneering W10 programme, which offers softball women’s cricket in a social environment, is at the heart of the sport’s growth at senior level with 42 teams competing in festivals throughout the summer.

The commitment to increasing access to cricket is particularly on display within the award-winning disability and city-based development programmes, delivered in partnership with Lord’s Taverners.

Hampshire have long been at the forefront of delivering disability cricket programmes, with young people and adults engaged across a range of social and competitive programmes and an elite team who were crowned National Champions in 2022. The programme is among the most successful and respected in the country, revolving around six community hubs, which provide over 200 hours of organised coaching every year.

Hampshire’s most recent award was picked up for their work with communities living in and around Southampton City Centre. Recognised by the England & Wales Cricket Board as the country’s best Community Engagement Project, the Wicketz Programme and Hawks Academy, have transformed access to cricket within the county’s biggest city. With over 250 active participants, a robust approach to volunteer development and opportunities to transition into an elite training academy, the project is scheduled to extend into Basingstoke and Portsmouth in 2023.

Ben Thompson, Cricket Development Director at Hampshire Cricket Board said: “2022 marked one of our most successful years to date in opening up cricket to the young people of Hampshire. We are extremely proud to be working with a more diverse audience, highlighting the power cricket has for driving inclusive access to sport across many varying backgrounds in the county.

“In 2023, we intend to push ourselves even further and try to grow the game even more across broader areas of Hampshire, making sure everyone has the chance to play.”

All of the work developing the game is underpinned by significant investment in recruiting and training volunteers. In the last 12 months, 219 new female umpires and 150 new coaches qualified and are all set to support more people to play more cricket in 2023.