ECB dials up £12m deal

More good news for Nasser Hussain and Duncan Fletcher

English cricket is to receive a financial boost of at least £12m following mobile phone company Vodafone's decision to extend its sponsorship agreement until the end of the 2005 season.

They have backed the the England senior, A and women's teams and the Kwik Cricket programme designed to encourage youngsters to take up the game since 1996.

But the new agreement, which will come into effect in October next year, will also cover the England and Wales Cricket Board's new Cricket Academy, fpor which lottery funding is currently being sought.

"The involvement of a company of the size and standing of Vodafone in the game of cricket is very important to us," said ECB commercial director Terry Blake.

Terry Blake: A good deal for English cricket

"Their support enables vital funding of new initiatives and existing programmes which will help English cricket to compete at the very highest level over the next few years."

The period of the new four-year contract will encompass two Ashes series and the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.

The ECB is still seeking domestic cricket sponsors following PPP Healthcare's decision to end their support for the County Championship and NatWest's withdrawal of backing for the main one-day knockout competition.