ECB pledge £250,000 flood fund

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The England and Wales Cricket Trust has committed £250,000 to help cricket clubs that have been affected by this summer's torrential weather and floods.

It has been a forgettable summer, leading the weather forecasters to gloomily predict that July is heading for the wettest on record. And the consequences for county cricket are starting to look ominous, financially and for team's prospects in the table. Yesterday, Worcestershire were forced to abandon their Championship match against Lancashire at New Road - the second abandonment in succession at the club.

Though the ECB and their trust can't do much about the torrential rain, the sum they have pledged ought to at least aid clubs' recovery - not just in county cricket, but for clubs and leagues too.

"The weather this summer has created serious problems for cricket clubs at all levels of the game," David Collier, ECB's chief executive said. "Many of the club grounds are the centres of the community and we, at the ECB, felt it was important to do our best to support them at this difficult time."

Details of how the £250,000 will be spread among the clubs have yet to be worked out, and the ECB have also approached Sport England to match this funding.