Sheffield Cricket Lovers' Society Year Book 2023

33 The YCB can choose what to invest where, to an extent, but it’s worth bearing in mind that two variables partially dictate outcomes: The amount of money they are given and changing strategy from funders such as the ECB, Sport England or Chance to Shine. There is much more cricket in Yorkshire schools than you might realise, thanks to Chance to Shine and the YCB. However, it is still a fraction of what could be possible if there were a magic money tree. Andrew talks of the ‘battle of the playground’ and with so many other sports and activities jostling for a child’s, teacher’s or school’s attention, cricket does have a continual fight on its hands. He cites a key change that came about in 2015 when the focus at the ECB changed to junior development. Previously, funding for county boards came from Sport England whose strategic plan honed in on adult participation at the time. Other milestones that crop up in our conversation include the growth of programmes such as Last Man Stands, Dynamos and All Stars. A recognition that more ways to access cricket on their own terms – whether as a five-year-old or a casual adult cricketer after work – would yield better results. Having started at the beginning, we find ourselves ready to plunge into what life was like at the YCB during the Coronavirus pandemic. The priority, he tells me, was keeping staff safe while the furlough scheme undoubtedly saved jobs at a time of enormous uncertainty. There were both their own operational and financial mountains to climb but also a responsibility for all those in grassroots cricket too. An absence of club cricket for half a season in 2020 as well as many restrictions on spectators and socialising hit coffers hard. There came a crunch point for the YCB itself. ‘We were very, very grateful for the advancement of ECB and Chance to Shine money when it mattered. If it hadn’t have been for them advancing certain payments, we would probably have gone under.’ cont’d on pg35