Through NatWest, we've been a committed supporter of English cricket for more than 25 years – getting involved at the grassroots, as well as sponsoring domestic and international competitions that have become the most glamorous and exciting in the world.
Every summer, the NatWest Series and Twenty20 fixtures provide thrilling and memorable moments for the England team and its supporters. This year, New Zealand and South Africa are the visitors.
In turn, NatWest Pro40, the one-day league for English county sides, has raised the profile of the domestic game, providing opportunities to communicate brand values to new and expanded audiences.
We're just as committed to the development of women's cricket, which has grown hugely since the England women's team's Ashes win over Australia in 2005. But just as important is our drive to ensure that sponsorship of English cricket benefits the grassroots as well as the elite.
NatWest Speed Stars is a national scheme which has embarked on a search to find the UK's fastest bowler, while Inter Cricket – a joint initiative between the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and NatWest – has been designed for boys and girls who, for reasons of facility or ability, can't play traditional hard-ball cricket.
In the community, NatWest's remarkable CricketForce initiative is UK sport's largest volunteering initiative, encouraging people to get involved in local clubs. In the last year alone, some 80,000 volunteers helped renovate more than 1100 cricket clubs.
We've also teamed up with Marie Curie Cancer Care to raise money for the charity and, jointly, to promote our award-winning sun safety awareness campaign.
