Cockspur Rum, associated with Barbados since 1884, extended its current three-year agreement with the ECB in March 2005 - and will now sponsor the National Club Championship until 2008.

Cockspur returned in 2004 to sponsor the competition with which it was associated from 1987 to 1990.

David Smith, Cockspur's Global Brand Director, said: "Cockspur are delighted to extend their relationship with the ECB via the sponsorship of the Cockspur Cup. We look forward to another year of reggae and rum punches on the boundaries and in the club houses of cricket clubs the length and breadth of England, Scotland and Wales this summer."

David Collier, the ECB's chief executive said: "I’m delighted that Cockspur will be continuing their support of the Cockspur Cup until 2008 and we look forward to working with them to promote this showcase of the Club game.”

Frank Kemp, the ECB's Cricket Operations Manager (Recreational), added: “This is excellent news for club cricket. The National Knockout has been the premier club competition since it was first contested in 1969 and Cockspur's involvement has added an extra dimension with the incentive of a trip to Barbados for the winner.”

Full details of all the matches are published on the the ECB's Cockspur Cup site on Play-Cricket.com - for the latest fixtures and scores on the Play-Cricket network - the ECB's website for recreational cricket – while all the latest news items are also available here on ecb.co.uk.