Saracens Commit £100,000 to Hertfordshire Cricket

Well established as sporting innovators, Saracens are again breaking new ground with their sponsorship of the Hertfordshire Cricket League. In a deal starting this season, worth £100,000 over the next three years, Saracens are providing much needed resources to the local cricketing community.

Usually a sports club is the 'sponsored' rather than the 'sponsor', but what makes this partnership unique is that it is cross sport - a professional rugby club sponsoring an amateur cricket league.

Saracens Managing Director, Tim Lawler, is excited about the new relationship, "Saracens are committed to being a sporting resource to the community not just in rugby but across all sport. We believe we can make a substantial difference in encouraging the growth of amateur cricket. We were attracted to the Herts League which is one of the most innovative in the country with 100 clubs, and 238 teams participating in 14 divisions in a totally vertical structure this year, for the first time."

The sponsorship could not have come at a better time for local cricketers, with one third of this year's funds providing the solution to a recent ECB guideline, that all under 18s must wear helmets when batting. This has caused much concern in the game. Asking either the parents of young cricketers or the clubs themselves to buy helmets that cost £30 and upwards, could rule some young players out of the game and discourage others from taking it up. Saracens are spending £10,000 on helmets to give to the league clubs free of charge to ensure that many junior cricketers still have the opportunity to play the game they love.

"Although the reasons for the guideline are understandable, the enforcement of helmet wearing for under 18s, is a real problem for some of the clubs, and the investment that Saracens are making is a huge bonus that is going to be greatly appreciated by kids, their parents, and the whole cricketing community" said Tony Johnson, Chairman of the Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League. "Thankfully, Saracens' involvement means Hertfordshire clubs can attract more youngsters into the game and avoid a situation where some kids might be priced out of it."

Saracens support will also allow the clubs to pay greatly reduced subscription fees to the League, "This can only encourage the growth of the League, meaning more teams will want to participate", comments Richard Bayliss, the League's Media Officer,

In addition there will be prize money to play for, for the first time ever. And as Bayliss indicates, the money is earmarked to develop youth cricket, "prize money is part of the League this year and we are encouraging clubs to invest this money in their future, by assisting younger cricketers to participate in the game with their local team".

Saracens are also looking to reward the people who make each club tick. A special Clubperson of the Year award of a VIP day out at Vicarage Road next Christmas will be awarded to the person who contributes most to the behind-the-scenes work at each club. Exceptional achievement is also being rewarded, with each division's Players of the Year winning a Saracens season ticket, while every century or five wicket haul will earn the star performer a premium ticket to see the Saracens. In addition, an All Star Cricket Match is scheduled for August 13th at Shenley, when Saracens players will take on the SHCL All Stars, consisting of the best player from each of the divisions.

There is a strong link between cricket and rugby, but why are Saracens looking to cricket to further the growth of their rugby club? "We firmly believe that we must be a sporting resource in the community, that means making sport inclusive, making provision for sport for all. Our involvement with the SHCL further allows us to be a resource in the community all year round," explains Lawler. Saracens community approach is very well respected and won last year's national Best Community Sports Programme Award. Lawler is passionate about Saracens role, "We didn't want to sit on the fence. We can make a really positive impact right now and I hope this will be an example to others to support the grassroots of the game. It's very easy to chat about the problems in sport in our country, we want to get out and do it"

The ills of English cricket have been well documented over recent years with the constant cry for more investment in the grassroots level, in order to produce more cricketers and, ultimately, an England team capable of taking on the world. Saracens are showing the way forward with their support of the Hertfordshire Cricket League. Here's to an exciting season with an ever more vibrant league.