npower signs new deal

Leading energy supplier npower has announced a three-year extension to its title sponsorship of domestic Test match cricket - up to and including the 2009 npower Ashes Series.

npower has been the title sponsor of domestic Test match cricket since 2001.

There are a number of increased benefits to the new deal, including continued sponsorship of the Twenty20 Cup, greater involvement with Team England, headline sponsorship of the Cricket in the Park events in 2009, increased stadium branding and sponsorship of the Test match coverage shown on ECBtv.

npower will continue its highly successful grassroots initiative, Urban Cricket, which it runs in partnership with the ECB.

To kick this off, Tuesday saw the first Urban Cricket Arena opened in Ruskin Park.

Kevin Miles, managing director of npower residential, said: “After the huge profile cricket enjoyed in the summer of 2005, the sport has continued to thrive and we've been delighted to be at the heart of it.

“Our cricket sponsorship has worked fantastically well for us - right from the launch of the npower brand - and we're already looking forward to the next three seasons, culminating in the return of the Australians in 2009.

“Our joint initiative with the ECB - Urban Cricket - proved the grassroots smash hit of the summer, grabbing headlines and, hopefully, new talent for the sport.

“Renewing our contract ensures the future of this scheme and means npower will have sponsored Test match cricket for at least nine seasons.”

David Collier, chief executive of the ECB said: “Since last year's npower Ashes series, cricket has gone from strength to strength.

“npower has been a loyal and active investor in our game since 2001 and I am delighted that our partnership with them is to continue for a further two years.

“The huge success of Urban Cricket this summer is yet more proof of the increasing demand for the sport among young children.”

The next stage of npower's Urban Cricket initiative will see the development of three Urban Cricket Arenas in South London, Birmingham and the North West of England in key urban areas.

This enables long-term sustainable legacy projects to be developed with key local partners.

In addition, five smaller Urban Cricket Zones will be created in key educational sites around each arena. This will give 15 zones across the three areas allowing the development work to continue in educational areas as well as the local community.

All these facilities are being developed in partnership with ECB, local cricket boards and both local authority and education departments.

England spin sensation Monty Panesar said: “npower has been a fantastic supporter of English cricket from playgrounds right to the top of the sport. It's investment like this, that makes England's recent successes possible.

“I was lucky enough to get along to an Urban Cricket event in Luton earlier this year and saw the real difference an active sponsor in this sport can make - long may it continue.”

In addition to the Test Series, npower sponsors the women's domestic Test Series, npower Village Cup and the Twenty20 Cup, a tournament npower has sponsored since its conception.