Cricket club achieves record junior participation during summer

A village cricket club has reported record levels of junior participation this summer as its partnership with an award-winning PR and communications agency continues to pay dividends.

MIH Solutions has just completed a second year as the main sponsor of Dunstall Cricket Club’s junior section, whose mission is to provide year-round training and playing opportunities to young players of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

Around 120 youngsters aged five to 17 were registered to play for Dunstall across soft and hard-ball formats in 2024, an increase of around 14 per cent on last season and the highest number in the club’s history to date.

In a year of breaking new ground, the club fielded its first-ever all-girls’ junior team amid a spike in female participation and there was a double league-winning campaign for the under-15s squad.

Thanks to MIH’s support, there was also an investment in a mentoring scheme to develop and upskill junior coaches, with plans in place to boost volunteer numbers over the winter.

MIH senior communications and engagement specialist James Benstead, who is also Dunstall CC’s junior cricket co-ordinator, said: “MIH and Dunstall CC share a passion for supporting youngsters and helping them to achieve their potential.

Thanks to MIH’s kindness, the club is achieving that goal for a growing number of aspiring cricketers and we are successfully championing and achieving greater diversity in the sport.”

MIH Solutions managing director Jo Yeaman, who founded the Burton-based business in 2011 and runs it with fellow Director Jon Beech, said: “We were honoured to be invited along to Dunstall Cricket Club’s junior presentation evening recently, hearing first-hand some inspirational stories about how our continued partnership is supporting young talent and making a real difference to grassroots sport in our local area.

“That’s something we truly care about at MIH and we look forward to seeing Dunstall’s ambitions continue to be realised in the months and years ahead.”

Based at The Deer Park, renowned as one of the most picturesque grounds on the circuit, Dunstall has a proud history of developing and honing talent, with Northamptonshire County Cricket Club and England fast bowler George Scrimshaw just one product of its junior pathway.

MIH – which stands for ‘make it happen’ – offers a wide range of strategic services, from specialist consultancy and coaching to full agency support for communications, PR and marketing. It also has a dedicated production team offering professional videography and photography packages.

MIH’s backing for young talent does not stop at cricket. It has supported young motorcycle racing star Katie Hand for several years, and in 2024 returned to the British Superbikes paddock as title sponsor for the factory-backed Triumph 660 Sportbike team. Its three young riders compete on the Triumph Daytona 660 machines as part of the MIH Solutions Macadam Triumph team.

More information about Dunstall CC is available online at www.dunstall.play-cricket.com or by emailing dunstallcc@hotmail.com

Pictured from left to right: Senior communications and engagement specialist James Bernstead, Jo Yeaman, and Jon Beech.