Charlotte Edwards Lands Serious Sponsorship Deal

Charlotte Edwards Lands Serious Sponsorship Deal

Charlotte Edwards MBE and Neil Rider from Serious Cricket

©REUTERS / Action Images

Serious Cricket, a specialist cricket equipment and clothing company run by former England manager Neil Rider today (30 January) announced it has agreed a two-year sponsorship deal with England women’s cricket captain Charlotte Edwards MBE.

Serious Cricket is run by former England women’s team manager Neil Rider, who managed the team from 2003-2007.
The sponsorship agreement is another step towards the professionalisation of women’s cricket, with Edwards being one of the first women’s players to agree a personal financial sponsorship deal. When Edwards first played for England 15 years ago, she had to fund her own England suit, but support for women’s cricket has improved massively in recent years.

Serious Cricket has a long history with Edwards; she previously managed the Serious Sport clothing range, which includes clothing for cricket, golf, football and a range of sports teamwear.

Edwards will benefit from significant financial sponsorship to help her with training and travel costs, along with a sponsored car and clothing from the Serious Sport range.

Edwards can frequently be found working hard at her game in the net facilities at Serious Cricket’s cricket training centre in Dummer, near Basingstoke, Hampshire.

Commenting on the ground-breaking deal, Edwards said: "I am delighted to be working with Serious Cricket as a brand ambassador. The support for women’s cricket has increased greatly during my career, and to now be agreeing a two-year personal sponsorship deal is a huge step.

"For me it’s fitting that it’s with Serious Cricket, a company that I have seen build up from scratch and that I really believe in."

Neil Rider, Managing Director from Serious Cricket said: “Working with Charlotte during my time as part of the England backroom staff I saw the financial challenges of being a top international cricketer. When I set up Serious Cricket, I wanted to support Charlotte, not only as one of the top cricketers internationally, but also a fantastic role model for young girls.

"Serious Cricket is a company that really believes in offering the best to cricketers, whether they’re at the grassroots level or at the top of their game like Charlotte.”

Edwards will depart for New Zealand on 5th February for five international Twenty20s and three One Day Internationals. Three of the international T20s will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.