ECB launches My Way to Play campaign
ECB's ‘My Way To Play’ campaign champions informal cricket and inspires the next generation to play anywhere, anytime.
- Joe Root, Lauren Bell and Mark Wood were invited to test their grassroots cricket skills by the next generation of young players.
- The challenge came as part of ECB campaign to get children playing anywhere, however they can, from the street to the beach, encouraging children to pick up a bat and ball in any way that suits them.
They are used to playing at the world’s biggest and most famous stadia, but England superstars Joe Root, Lauren Bell and Mark Wood have taken up the challenge from three cricket-mad youngsters to play cricket a very different way.
Taking England’s finest out of their comfort zone of playing on well-manicured cricket wickets, Ravi (12), Taylor (10) and Hassan (9) challenged Mark, Lauren and Joe to games of visually impaired cricket, beach cricket and street cricket respectively as part of an ECB campaign challenging perceptions of what cricket is and where it can be played.
With different rules, different skills and different locations, the international stars were put to the test to see if their skills could stack up in the ultimate games of back-to-basics cricket with just a bat, a ball, some stumps and some friends.
Alongside the ‘My Way to Play’ campaign, the ECB has signed up to and is supporting London Sport’s More Ball Games campaign, which aims to lobby policymakers to take urgent action to remove outdated and restrictive ‘No Ball Games’ signs that stifle play, physical activity, and community connection across London and England.
This will ensure that children and young people—regardless of their background, household income or postcode—have access to free spaces where they can play, move, and be active close to home. Over 7,000 signs in London restrict play for over 560,000 young people. Every sign removed helps around 80 children be more active.
The Play section of the ECB site contains support and materials for anyone who wants to get into cricket, or return to the sport, with information on clubs and community projects close to your home, materials for schools, or simply ideas on how you can play in the back garden or street.
Play section of the ECB Website - Resources
Play Your Way at home
This handy guide gives you some great suggestions on how to start playing cricket at home, in the garden, in the park or on the beach!
All Stars at Home
Hear from England stars who feature in video guides for parents who want to start introducing basic cricket skills to their children at home.
Playing Out
Would you like to reclaim space in your community to give children a safe place to play? Playing Out are a parent and resident led movement that offer information, resources and inspiration to help set up play streets. These regular, temporary road closures give children the opportunity to play outside, supporting their health, happiness and sense of belonging.
