Bat For A Chance is delivering on that promise with its landmark initiative: Changing The Batting Order, which will provide 1,000 free cricket starter kits to underserved schools and community groups across England, Wales and Scotland — breaking down the first barrier to entry that so many children face in cricket.

Changing The Batting Order will create access to sport where it is most needed. Using a data-driven approach, digital partner Accuracast will use publicly available government data to identify and target the most deprived areas across England, Wales and Scotland, ensuring kits reach those communities that need them most. Alongside community partners Sported, the programme aims to provide kit to over 20,000 children across 500 primary and secondary schools and 500 community groups.

ECB initiatives like All Stars and Dynamos have done a fantastic job at boosting participation, and The Hundred has doubled female participation since its launch in 2021. Yet too many children are still falling through the gaps. Children in deprived communities and urban areas continue to face barriers to the game, and one in three children from low-income families lack access to any sports club.*

Bat For A Chance (BFAC) uses cricket as a tool for social change around the world, launching and running innovative projects such as the first girls’ cricket club in the Caribbean and youth employment programmes in South Africa. These initiatives reflect BFAC’s belief in cricket as a force for education, empowerment and opportunity, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

That is why Bat For A Chance is channeling its knowledge, network and expertise to children across the UK — building a stronger future for grassroots cricket that will benefit the game at every level. For England cricketer and BFAC Global Ambassador Chris Jordan, that access is personal:

“Cricket gave me everything — discipline, belief, a sense of where I belonged. Growing up, having access to the game wasn’t a given, and I know how much of a difference it makes when a young person gets that chance. Through my work with Bat For A Chance I’ve seen first-hand what sport can unlock in kids who just needed someone to open the door. That’s exactly what Changing The Batting Order is doing, and I’m proud to be part of it.”

Maia Bouchier, England cricketer and BFAC Global Ambassador, knows that barrier all too well: “When I was growing up, women’s cricket was very much an afterthought — the opportunities were limited, and you had to fight for every one of them. The game has changed enormously, but there are still children out there who never get the chance to pick up a bat. Changing The Batting Order is about making sure every child — regardless of where they grow up or what their background is — gets that opportunity. That means the world to me.”

Is your school eligible? Apply for a free kit today

Primary schools in deprived areas across England, Wales and Scotland can apply for a free cricket starter kit through the dedicated portal at kit.batforachance.org.uk. Kits are free of charge and will be allocated to schools in the most underserved communities. Apply now at kit.batforachance.org.uk.

Community groups wishing to apply should contact Sported directly, who are managing kit distribution to community organisations as part of this initiative.