Children's All Stars cricket programme delayed due to 'chemicals' found in balls and equipment

Cricket clubs across the Black Country and Staffordshire, including Smethwick, Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Cricket Clubs, run the popular All Stars 5-8-year-olds schemes, but cannot begin until at least May now.

All Stars Cricket (five to eight years old) and Dynamo Cricket (eight to 11 years old) gives kids a backpack, bat, ball and personalised T-shirt as part of a drive to encourage youth participation.

Yet they have now been told not to use these balls as they contain high levels of a group of plastics called phthalates, but bosses said they did not need to recall them.

On Thursday, Cordelia Brown, head of national programmes at the ECB, emailed cricket clubs across the country explaining why the National Programmes schemes could not go ahead.

She said: "We know that there have been unanswered questions and frustrations particularly in recent weeks and we hope that this update provides the clarity that many of you have been understandably asking for.

"I want to inform you that some of the National Programmes equipment - most notably the balls, but also the Dynamos Cricket batting tee and the National Programmes PVC banners, have been identified as containing a group of chemicals widely used in plastics called phthalates and that following independent testing, the phthalates in these items were found to be at levels in excess of those permitted by relevant regulations.

"To better understand the issue, we instructed an external expert company to conduct a risk assessment in relation to the balls which has not determined any direct risk to participants in the programmes in relation to the balls. We are awaiting the results of further risk assessments in relation to the Dynamos Cricket batting tee and the National Programmes PVC banners, and will provide an update on the outcome of these (and any other items which require a risk assessment following independent testing) in due course."

She added: "Both Trading Standards and the Office for Product Safety and Standards have been informed of this issue in relation to the balls, and neither has indicated a need to recall the balls already in circulation from previous years’ programmes. However, out of an abundance of caution, we are advising that any individuals or clubs with the balls no longer use them. The Dynamos Cricket batting tee and PVC banners should also no longer be used.

"We are awaiting independent test results for some other items but can confirm that the bats and stumps given to All Stars participants, and the bats, stumps and cones in kit bags provided to centres delivering the programmes, have all been tested and they do not have the same issue and can therefore continue to be used.

"We are very sorry that the affected products haven't met the standards we'd expect, and for any concern this may cause you."

The ECB sends out cricket equipment to clubs to attracted children to start playing the game, however, Ms Brown confirmed it would not be possible to send out anymore equipment.

She said: "We know how much All Stars participants value the participant packs they receive and how important club equipment is to all those who run sessions. That’s why, for this year’s programme we have been working with suppliers to try to find multiple solutions to provide kit and equipment with the appropriate safety assurances.

"We are extremely sorry to let you know that despite all our efforts, it is now not possible to work with our existing supplier to provide complete assurance, or to work with a new supplier to provide all that is needed. We do not underestimate how disappointing the impact of this will be.

"Sadly, this means we will not be able to provide equipment to participants and clubs this year."

Staffordshire Cricket Club's website details what All Stars Cricket offers youngsters.

The club said: "All Stars Cricket provides a fantastic first experience for all children aged 5-8 years old where they’re guaranteed 8 weeks of jam-packed fun, activity and skills development. The programme is designed to introduce children to the sport, teaching them new skills, helping them make new friends and have a great time doing so.

"Every child that registers will receive a backpack full of goodies. Your child’s pack will include backpack, cricket bat, cricket ball and personalised t-shirt with your child’s name."

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in household cleaners, food packaging and cosmetics to make plastics flexible.