ECB launch Dynamos Cricket to keep 8- to 11-year-olds in the sport

Luke Wright, Sussex's white-ball captain, hopes that the launch of Dynamos Cricket, a new kids cricket scheme aimed at 8- to 11-year-olds, can help to build on England's success in winning the World Cup last summer, as well as tap into the interest generated by this summer's first season of the Hundred.

Wright, who was the last name out of the hat in December's Hundred draft, will be playing for Trent Rockets in July, at the same time that his eight-year-old son Josh will be participating in his local Dynamos scheme at Newick CC in Sussex. And Wright believes that that combination of playing and watching will be instrumental in seeding a love of cricket in a generation that has become detached from the sport in recent years.

"I loved cricket growing up, but you could be sure that the whole school, not just the sports fans, would know about the likes of Ian Botham and co," Wright told ESPNcricinfo. "Everyone was a bit shocked by those stats that came out a few years ago, saying that Alastair Cook was less well known than the wrestler John Cena, but this scheme is about opening kids' eyes to cricket, and making it easier and more accessible to them."

The Dynamos scheme is the next step in the ECB's renewed participation drive, which began in 2017 with the launch of All Stars Cricket, an introductory programme for 5- to 8-year-olds which is now available in more than 2200 centres across England and Wales.

Up to 35,000 kids will take part in the inaugural season of Dynamos Cricket, with two 6-12-week courses available to parents, one during the summer term, beginning mid-May, and the other over the school holidays to coincide with The Hundred.

Every child taking part will receive a bespoke shirt with their name and number on the back, and get access to a Dynamos app providing cricket tips, activities and quizzes, alongside skills and tips so that they can practice at home and with their friends. They will also receive packs of Topps Cricket Attax trading cards, featuring some of the best players from The Hundred.

"With the number of phones and tablets around these days, all kids are glued to them," said Wright. "So the fact that there is an app for skills and fun things like that is an important part of engaging them outside of the programme.

"And the fact they can play it while there's a tournament on, that's a big plus," he added. "Normally those schemes are finished by the time the summer holidays are on, so the fact it can be done at the same time as the Hundred is a bonus, especially with some games being on the BBC, which will be massive."

While the prospect of the Hundred has generated mixed reactions, Wright is confident, as a veteran of numerous T20 leagues around the world, that it will succeed in its primary aim, of appealing to a new audience that has never previously engaged with cricket.

"There are obvious pros and cons about the Hundred, some people were worried that cricket was turning into baseball," he said. "But I was there for the first-ever Big Bash in Australia, the first Pakistan Super League, and there were a huge amount of cricket fans who hated the idea at first, but what we saw was an amazing new amount of young fans turning up.

"That's something the Hundred wants to do, get more kids coming to the games, and if they can do that, hopefully it can uplift cricket and get more people involved in it.

"My son Josh did the All Stars programme over the last few years and he really enjoyed it, and I was shocked how many kids turned up - kids who'd never played before, and lots of girls too. But then there was a drop-off after they turn eight, with nowhere obvious for kids leaving the scheme to go.

"Now there's something else. Time will tell if it works, but something like this needed to be done, especially after winning the World Cup. From an ECB point of view, you don't want to waste an opportunity like that."

Nick Pryde, the ECB's Director of Participation and Growth, said: "2020 promises to be another unforgettable year for the game with the launch of The Hundred and Dynamos will give kids a chance to experience for themselves just how exciting cricket can be.

"Dynamos Cricket is a key part of our plans to grow the game in England and Wales and we hope that thousands of children will fall in love with the game this summer."

The programme was launched with a taster session in Harrow over the weekend, attended by England fast bowler James Anderson, Oval Invincibles spinner Laura Marsh, Birmingham Phoenix star Pat Brown and England Physical Disability cricketer and parent Liam Thomas, as well as Clare Stokes, the wife of England all-rounder Ben.

"I've seen today just how much fun Dynamos Cricket is," said Marsh. "It's great that so many children will have the opportunity to take up the game at such a young age.

"I learnt so many lessons playing cricket - from teamwork and communication, to looking out for my friends in tough times. Cricket has made me stronger and more resilient as a person and is something I'd recommend to anyone."

Brown added: "Cricket taught me how to win and lose gracefully. Just as importantly, it helped me to make friends and to learn how to cope with pressure. These are great life skills and you're never too young to learn them!"