The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is ploughing £460,000 into the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) over the next four years to co-fund an England and Wales network of IOG Regional Advisors and the IOG/ECB Fine Turf Project Manager.

“This substantial cash injection reflects not only how the IOG is recognised by cricket grounds managers as the first port of call for fine turf technical help and advice, but it also clearly demonstrates the increasing success of the IOG’s vision in creating an industry-wide network of groundscare experts who offer indispensable advice and experience,” said Bruce Cruse, ECB Facilities & Funding Manager.

Making the announcement at the recent ECB Pitch Advisors meeting, Bruce Cruse added that he hoped the ECB’s support would also help prompt other governing bodies of sport into following suit with a programme “that is clearly having an important impact throughout the sport, right through to grass roots level”.

With three Advisors in post – in the North, in Wales & the South West and in Scotland (this post funded solely by the IOG), plus a Fine Turf Manager – and with new Advisors currently being recruited for the Midlands and the South East, the IOG regards its Regional Advisors “as a lifeline in maintaining an effective link between head office and our regional branch network and critical in taking the IOG forward in terms of reaching out to and liaising with the country’s 20,000–strong body of volunteer groundsmen”, added IOG Chief Executive Geoff Webb.

“This enormous contribution will make a real difference,” he continued, “and I thank the ECB for its continued support. We have an excellent ongoing relationship with the ECB, which includes a comprehensive programme of training/CPD, and there’s no reason why this success should not be mirrored in other sporting sectors.”