ECB targets wider cricket access in state secondary schools
Former England bowler Chris Woakes has backed two initiatives the England and Wales Cricket Board hopes will reach more than 1,700 state secondary schools by the end of 2028.
The England and Wales Cricket Board is aiming to expand cricket in state secondary schools through a free teacher training programme and a new student competition, backed by former England bowler Chris Woakes.
The ECB says the initiatives are intended to reach more than 3,500 teachers and over 1,700 state secondary schools by the end of 2028, representing more than half of those schools. The figures are targets; the source material does not report current participation.
Cricket For Teachers will provide PE teachers with training to deliver cricket sessions. Participating schools are also set to receive resources, equipment and ongoing support.
Secondary Countdown Cricket is a soft-ball competition for students aged 11 to 16. The ECB says schools will receive support and playing opportunities through the programme.
Woakes, who retired from international cricket in 2025, said school and community opportunities helped him discover the sport. ECB chair Richard Thompson linked the initiatives to the board’s State School Action Plan and its goal of making cricket more inclusive.
