npower extends England sponsorship

English cricket has received a pre-Ashes boost with the announcement of a new £10 million, three-year extension to their existing deal with the energy company, npower.

The deal, which was signed at Ruskin Park in South London, will cover all levels of English cricket, including both men's and women's Test teams, village cricket, and an expansion of the "Urban Cricket" grassroots initiative, which was launched last summer and was enthusiastically received.

"It's investments like this which have helped the success the team has had," said England's spinner Monty Panesar, who departs for Australia with the Ashes squad on Friday. "Npower has been a fantastic supporter of English cricket from playgrounds right to the top of the sport."

Kevin Miles, managing director of npower, added: "It's a fantastic time to be a sponsor of cricket and a stunning time to be a fan. We think that cricket's on a roll. It's the overwhelming success of the Ashes which is allowing us to build a great relationship with the general public and to introduce children to the game in a way which has never been achieved before."