The ECB will launch a new strategy aiming to increase participation in cricket in state primary schools later this year.

Looking to ride the wave of optimism and interest in cricket from the wider general public following England’s World Cup win, the ECB will announce a new strategy that will aim to double the current level of state primary school participation in cricket.

Last month, the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Commission revealed that 43 per cent of men that have represented England in the past year attended private school – higher than any other profession looked at in the study. Also striking was the recent news that cricket is currently played in just 22 per cent of state schools.

World Cup winner Liam Plunkett, speaking on Monday at Dulwich Cricket Club, said that he would like to see more done to enable cricket being played more in state schools, having been state-educated himself.

[breakout id=”0″][/breakout]

“Playing cricket in school myself, I probably only ever played two games,” said Plunkett. “There was not much opportunity for it there. I hope this does inspire people and schools to get cricket in more. We never really had too much of ‘today’s lesson is cricket’. It was only because I liked the sport and played club cricket that I made it to where I am today.”

While there are few details of the new strategy, it seems that the ECB are keen to capitalise on the excitement generated by England men’s first World Cup win. An exact date is yet to be pencilled in for the full announcement of the strategy but it is expected to be made in late 2019.