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Joe Root Bats In The Streets, Mark Wood Goes Blind In ECB's Unique Campaign

Soumyajit Dutta

Joe Root and Mark Wood playing with the children [Source: @englandcricket/X]Joe Root and Mark Wood playing with the children [Source: @englandcricket/X]

England cricket icons Joe Root, Lauren Bell, and Mark Wood recently took to the streets, beaches, and even tried blind cricket as part of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) new ‘My Way To Play’ campaign. 

In a heartwarming video shared by the ECB, the trio could be seen batting, bowling, and sharing laughter with children, championing the spirit of informal cricket and inspiring kids to play the game anywhere and anytime.

A Joyful Day of Street Cricket With The Stars

The video captured Joe Root, Bell, and Wood fully immersed in grassroots cricket, joining children for impromptu matches on the street. The cricketers showcased their skills in unconventional settings, including beach cricket and blind cricket, highlighting the accessibility and joy of the sport beyond traditional pitches. 

English cricketers enjoying with the children [Source: @englandcricket/X]English cricketers enjoying with the children [Source: @englandcricket/X]

Watch the video of the campaign here.

Their interactions with the children, cheering, coaching, and celebrating together, especially Mark Wood putting on a 'no vision' goggle emphasized the campaign’s message that cricket can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of location or equipment.

What is the ‘My Way To Play’ campaign?

The ECB’s ‘My Way To Play’ campaign is designed to break down barriers to entry and promote cricket as an inclusive, accessible sport for all. The initiative encourages children and communities to embrace informal forms of the game, whether in the street, at home, or in local parks. 

In collaboration with the organization Playing Out, the ECB is also providing resources to help communities safely close roads for play, making it easier for children to enjoy cricket even in urban environments with limited outdoor space. 

The campaign is part of the ECB’s broader ‘Inspiring Generations’ strategy, which aims to ensure cricket is seen as a game for everyone and to surpass the record 1.1 million children who played cricket in 2023.

Joe Root Shares His Childhood Cricket Experience

Joe Root even shared his experience with cricket as a child. “We used to put sticks in the ground in the grate in our driveway and that would be our stumps. It was giving us the basics of the game and you can do that wherever you want, which is great,” Root told to ECB.

Significantly, together, Root, Wood, and Lauren Bell not only inspire on the field but are now helping to shape the next generation of cricketers by showing that the love of the game can start anywhere, anytime.