Cheshire Cricket Board Countywide Strategic Plan – 2025 to 2028

Cheshire Cricket Board is delighted to share with the cricket family our Countywide Strategic Plan for the period 2025-2028. Our plan draws on the successes of previous strategies to define our priorities for the next four years, with a focus on creating a thriving grassroots game in Cheshire that is welcoming and inclusive for everyone.

Since 2019, our County has experienced significant growth in cricket participation, with club membership rising by 25% and participation among women and girls more than doubling. This growth has occurred despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, demonstrating the resilience and dedication of our clubs and communities.

As we embark on a new strategic cycle, our goal is to place bats and balls in the hands of thousands more children, ensuring that all players, regardless of their background, can enjoy the game, develop their skills, and reach their full cricketing potential.

We will continue to prioritise growth in the women’s and girls’ game, introducing new formats that give choice to female cricketers while continuing to invest in welcoming, inclusive facilities at our affiliated clubs.

We aim to grow, support and celebrate our fantastic network of volunteers – the Cricket Collective - ensuring those who run our grassroots organisations feel valued and supported  in their roles.

And we aim to extend our reach and influence in non-traditional spaces, breaking down barriers to participation and creating opportunities for more people from underserved  groups to experience what our great game has to offer.

This strategic plan is designed to achieve our objectives, but its success will depend on effective collaboration with our partners. We are proud to work with a variety of organisations committed to cricket’s growth, including our extensive network of clubs and leagues, the ECB, and charitable bodies such as Lord’s Taverners, the MCC Foundation and Chance to Shine.

Over the next four years and beyond, we look forward to partnering with these organisations and many others to build a vibrant grassroots cricket scene in Cheshire where everyone can confidently and proudly say: “Cricket is a Game for Me.”

Nigel Muirhead, Chair, Cheshire Cricket Board