Kingston (Jamaica), Jul 5 (IANS/CMC): The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has signed a new five-year agreement with Scotiabank to remain the exclusive sponsor of its Kiddy Cricket Programme.

The new contract allows WICB to expand the programme of teaching foundation cricketing skills to the more than 150,000 students who are currently enrolled, reports CMC.

Scotiabank is expected to double its investment under the new deal which represents the longest sponsorship contract that the bank has signed with the WICB during their 14-year association.

"The WICB holds the Kiddy Cricket programme as a high-priority initiative," declared Michael Muirhead, CEO of WICB.

"It is the base of the cricket development path in the region, and we are very pleased to renew this sponsorship with our long-standing sponsor and partner, Scotiabank."

As part of the expanded deal, Scotiabank is set to fund close to 10,000 Kiddy Cricket programme gear and equipment kits, including bats, balls and stumps, to a number schools across the region.

The sponsorship arrangement is also set to play a role in the new Cricket Coach Education programme recently launched by the WICB in association with the University of Technology in Jamaica.

"We have seen significant progress in the Kiddy Cricket programme over the last 14 years as title sponsors," said Heather Goldson, Scotiabank's director of marketing for the English Caribbean.

"We have reached over 750,000 children since inception, and have had the satisfaction of seeing Kiddy cricketers rising to the pinnacle of the game as national and as West Indian players."