University Bowled Over To Sponsor County Cricket
10 April 2013
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in new kit with( front row, centre left) the University of Derby's Estates Director, Ian Willgoose and (front row, centre right) its Deputy Chief Executive Hari Punchihewa.
We are delighted to renew our sponsorship of Derbyshire County Cricket Club for this season, and we are looking forward to joining the Club's members and supporters to watch some fantastic games as they build on their 2012 title win.
”Hari Punchihewa, the University's Deputy Chief Executive
Derbyshire County Cricket Club player, and University of Derby Psychology student, (centre) Chris Durham with (left) the University's Deputy Chief Executive Hari Punchihewa and (right) Estates Director, Ian Willgoose
Derbyshire County Cricket Club and the University of Derby have stepped up their established partnership ahead of the 2013 season.
The University, who sponsored the Club's Friends Life t20 shirts in 2012, will sponsor the front of the white LV= County Championship shirt as Derbyshire tackle the top tier of English cricket for the first time since the year 2000.
The University of Derby has also become title sponsors of the Cricket Derbyshire Academy which is responsible for producing the club's stars of the future.
The 12 young cricketers making up this year's Academy intake will play under the Cricket Derbyshire University of Derby Academy banner; the UK's first University/Academy cricket partnership.
Hari Punchihewa, the University's Deputy Chief Executive who attended the launch, said: "We are delighted to renew our sponsorship of Derbyshire County Cricket Club for this season, and we are looking forward to joining the Club's members and supporters to watch some fantastic games as they build on their 2012 title win.
"As well as being a main shirt sponsor, this year our sponsorship will be used to help the Club attract and develop young cricketers through its Academy.
"We are aiming to create sporting excellence not only within the University but also across the county; objectives that fit perfectly with Derbyshire County Cricket Club's emphasis on producing home grown players."
Derbyshire County Cricket Club Chief Executive Simon Storey added: "We are grateful to the University of Derby for their continued support. This partnership not only allows our players to benefit from studying opportunities; they can also give something back with involvement in coaching."
One of the cricketers who will be wearing the first team kit this season is Chris Durham, who is currently studying towards a BSc (Hons) Psychology degree at the University of Derby.
Chris, 21, from Chapel-en-le-Frith, has been training with the club since he was just ten years old, is looking forward to playing some matches for the first team after a winter of serious training. However, he will have to juggle the demands of a series of matches with completing the final year of his degree, after which he hopes to commit himself to a career in the sport.
For more information about Derby County Cricket Club visit www.derbyshireccc.com
For more information on sport at Derby visit www.teamderby.com
For more information about studying psychology at Derby visit www.derby.ac.uk/psychology
For further information contact Tom Holdcroft at Derbyshire County Cricket Club on 01332 388 125, 07768 552 667 or tom.holdcroft@derbyshireccc.com
