The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced that Investec, the international Specialist Bank and Asset Manager, has agreed to become the new title sponsor of Test Match cricket for the next ten years.

The sponsorship, which will run until 2021, is the longest sponsorship agreement secured in ECB’s history.

It will begin next summer when England take on the West Indies and South Africa.  This will be followed by three home Ashes Test series against Australia in 2013, 2015 and 2019, and major tours by India in 2014 and 2018, Pakistan in 2016 and South Africa in 2017.

ECB Chief Executive David Collier said: “This is excellent news for all supporters of Test cricket and a further boost for our five-day game following the England team’s recent achievement in becoming the world’s number one ranked Test side. Investec are an established brand with extensive experience in the sports sponsorship field and we are delighted that they have made such a significant, long-term commitment to promoting Test cricket in this country."

As part of the agreement announced today, Investec will receive a comprehensive range of sponsorship and advertising rights which will include ticketing, hospitality and access to England players.

The London and Johannesburg-based firm becomes only the third company ever to sponsor Test Match cricket in this country and succeeds the energy provider npower whose ten-year association with English cricket concluded at the end of the 2011 season. 

Raymond van Niekerk, Global Marketing Director of Investec, commented: “Investec is delighted to announce this landmark ten year sponsorship of Test match cricket in England. The five day game requires intelligence, teamwork, adaptability and a strong competitive spirit; attributes that are closely aligned to Investec’s business values.

“We are excited to begin our sponsorship with England as the world number one team in the Test rankings, following their impressive defeat of India in the summer. Investec has an established track record of enhancing the sports events it is associated with and we look forward to working with the ECB over the coming years.”

JAMES BUTTLER