Farnham: Scheme reusing unwanted cricket kit eyes expansion

Some of the equipment was also donated to an Afghan refugee in Hampshire, who left his own kit in Afghanistan, as well as local schools and families.

Prof Martin Charter, director of the UCA centre, said cricket is one of the “most gear intensive sports” and can be expensive to participate in.

He said researchers found there was a lot of stored cricket equipment in garages, attics and at clubs.

Around 95% of the donated cricket gear was reusable, with some items still in their original packaging, he said.

He told BBC Radio Surrey: “At the moment we are drawing the lessons from the pilots with a view to taking it forward later in the year or at the beginning of next season.”

Mr Hill said: “We want to give students equal opportunity to play the great game of cricket in what can be an expensive sport.”