YOUNG cricket hopefuls in Wiltshire have been given a boost after the announcement £60,000 worth of funds are to be pumped into the game in the south west region.

The Stroud and Swindon Building Society has invested £30,000 to continue their the sponsorship of the West of England Premier League and has achieved matched funding from Sportsmatch, the Government-funded business sponsorship incentive scheme for grass roots sport.

The money will be primarily used to improve coaching and practice opportunities for junior players. Part of the funding will be used to purchase 30 bowling machines, for use by members of all 70 clubs in the West of England pyramid plus their associated clubs and schools.

And the remainder will be given to a West of England-based Junior Development Programme run through the Active Sports (West) scheme. It will boost funds being raised by each of the four Active Sports areas in the region, and enable each area to apply for further matched funding from other sponsors and from Lottery grants.

The league has clubs based in Swindon, Chippenham, Corsham, Warminster, Devizes, Hinton Charterhouse, Wootton Bassett, Marshfield, Malmesbury, Trowbridge, Westbury, Purton, Winsley and Goatacre. Each of these clubs and their associated clubs and schools will all benefit from the new funding.

John Parker, chief executive of Stroud and Swindon, said: "The bowling machines, coupled with the investment in coaching programmes, will make a real difference to cricket clubs across the region. By encouraging young local talent in this way, we can help to ensure the future success of English cricket."

Emma Platts, scheme manager from Sportsmatch, said: "Our organisation is dedicated to supporting sport at grass roots level by matching the funding put forward by businesses to establish coaching schemes and purchase sporting equipment that the communities could never otherwise afford.

"This area of England is well known for its cricket and we are pleased to be able to help keep this tradition alive."

West of England Premier League chairman Cliff Moss said: "The coaching programmes and bowling machines will make a huge difference to the clubs, giving young players the opportunity to improve their batting skills.

"We could never have invested in such a wide-reaching and integrated scheme such as this, without the support shown by Stroud and Swindon Building Society and Sportsmatch."