FEATURE: Lack of funding hits local Cricket club

It’s no secret that the country and everyone in it are feeling the pinch. In sport at local level, it is hitting the hardest.

Kirkburton Cricket Club in Huddersfield, have fallen victim to cut backs and investment going to other sporting disciplines, as club secretary Kathryn Smith explains:

‘2013 and prior, huge amounts of funding went into the Olympics, our funding comes from a lot of hard work by the volunteer committee – raffles, sponsorship, social events, and very occasionally we might be successful with a bid for funding from the local parish council. Lottery grant and ECB funding- we are not successful.’

But surely with the successes of the England international test side in recent times, particularly the Ashes triumphs, has helped the profile and uptake of the sport by youngsters? Not as meteoric as you might think, so says Smith:

‘No, the opposite. After 2005 yes a large intake of juniors was noticeable, now Golf Clubs and newer sports are taking not only the young players, but also the funding.’

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, Kirkburton is fighting back in an attempt to adapt to the tighter funding constraints.

KCC won the Drakes Huddersfield Cricket League Premiership last season, with half of the squad coming through the junior teams.

With teams ranging from under 9’s to under 17’s before reaching the 1^st and 2^nd XI, youth development is an important facet at the club:

‘Its very important, at KCC we have a five year plan – so the current under 11s are the future of this club in 5 years time, with the under 9’s coming into this realm in the next two years. Already we have players from under 13 and under 15 who have played for the second team this season, taking an active role in the field. The leading wicket taker in the second team is Matthew Crookes, at just 16 years old.’

Crookes himself came through the youth set up at KCC following time on the books at Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday football academies.

With the focus on youth, numerous initiatives including the ‘Chance to Shine’ scheme, of which Graeme Swann is a supporter, are in place, which aims at linking cricket clubs to local primary and secondary schools, making qualified cricket coaches available to deliver cricket sessions and matches in schools, to train teachers and encourage children to come and play at cricket clubs.

Smith continues:

‘Over the years we have actively supported the Chance to Shine scheme and have regularly loaned the use of the field for the local schools to play inter school matches.

We run under 9, 11, 13 and 15 teams, and next year will have under 17’s again. We offer a good standard of coaching at all levels and encourage the youngsters where possible. Sadly we lose players from the age of 13 when they want to go play with their mates at another club, move to golf or another sport, or leave the area. The government / school / authorities need to put more funding into local grass roots sports to encourage the youngsters at an early age – 9 – and again at 13, 14.’

The message is clear; more funding at grass roots level is required to sustain sporting excellence at the top level.