ECB launches 'Raise the Bat' campaign to honour cricketing key workers

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday launched the #raisethebat campaign, which highlights key workers from the world of cricket who are helping to support their community during COVID-19. Key workers who have been nominated by their cricket clubs will be featured on over 300 billboards across England and Wales.

Meanwhile, the whole cricket family has been asked to shine a light on the many more key workers who deserve recognition using #raisethebat on social media, the ECB said in a statement.

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'We have been truly humbled'

Russell James, Sales & Marketing Director at the ECB who is leading the campaign said, "We have been truly humbled by reading the nominations which have drawn attention to the heroic work of nurses, teachers, care workers and supermarket staff who have responded to this crisis without hesitation."

"People are doing incredible things across the country and if we can share a light even on a few of them with this out of home campaign, then we're delighted to play our part," he added.

Coming back to cricket, the English team successfully retained their top spot in the ICC ODI Rankings that was released last month. England have been the top-ranked side in the 50-overs format since 2018 and went on to win their maiden World Cup trophy at the iconic Lords' Cricket Ground after beating New Zealand via a boundary-count rule.  

All the global sporting events have either been postponed or cancelled due to the global pandemic. England's tour of Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series was cancelled whereas, the upcoming bilateral series between Australia and England in July on English soil might also be cancelled as per reports.

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(With ANI Inputs)

(Image Courtesy: AP)