English cricket receives £30m cash boost

	Let there be light: the ECB wants floodlights at every county ground © Clare Skinner Enlarge

English cricket will receive around £30 million from the ECB over the next five years to help improve facilities and boost club cricket.

The plans include a desire to install floodlights at every county ground, which will account for about £9 million of the total. "We feel we need considerably more experience playing day-night games," Giles Clarke, the ECB's chairman, said. "Secondly, the spectators have considerably greater ease coming to watch cricket in the early and late evening. If we've got floodlights, we are in a position to do that."

A further £6 million will be put towards improving drainage at international venues. The remaining sum, in the region of £14 million, will be given to more than 2,000 community clubs.

The additional money on offer will come from increased revenue from broadcast deals as well as escalating monies from gate receipts. "This is a major commitment to invest in all areas of cricket," Clarke said. "Cricket in England and Wales has never seen this level of financial support. Our resources are being targeted to build the continuing affection of the nation with its summer sport and to give people of all ages and walks of life the chance to play and watch in the best surroundings."

The five-year strategy includes the following projects:

£14 million of ECB grant aid to 2000 community clubs

A 50% subsidy to 10,000 Level 1 and 2 coaches qualifying through Level 1 and 2 courses and investment in conversion courses to Level 3 and 4

A doubling of interest free loans to community clubs to £10m

£9m for grants for international standard floodlighting at all county headquarter grounds

£6m for installation of Lord's-style drainage at all international venues with subsequent roll-out to all counties

Coaching contracts for England women's team players to support Chance to Shine and county board initiatives.

A doubling of Chance to Shine funding to enhance cricket in schools amounting to a total value of £5m

£5m for county venues to achieve model status in each category of the ECB facility plan by 2011

Differential Fee Payments to Category C venues

£1m capital investment in the National Performance Centre at Loughborough to maintain world leading status

Preferential loans to category A and B venues to leverage further capital investment in world class venues

Annual scholarships to 36 young English cricketers to benefit from playing in overseas conditions

£1m to support county board operations

Enhanced performance-related pay including rewards for crowd management