CMS supports Thunder Cricket with financial investment
International law firm CMS, official partner of Lancashire Cricket since 2022, has further increased its support by providing additional funding for Thunder Cricket – the Club’s professional women’s team.
The extra financial support received by Thunder from CMS will go into two specific areas which will aid performance throughout the season. Part of the funding from CMS will be used to purchase licences to access performance analysis tools via the platform ‘Intelligent Cricket’.
Intelligent Cricket uses latest statistical techniques, machine learning and simulation technologies to turn vast datasets into a range of insightful, meaningful products that will allow the Thunder players and coaching staff to assess how players, and the opposition we face, have performed.
This will allow Thunder to use data to highlight specific areas of strength and weakness. These tools, known as Player Value Ratings and White Ball Companion, will allow the squad to better prepare for fixtures whilst also accessing data to accelerate player development and feedback.
In addition to this, the funding provided by CMS will be used to put on a set of Thunder Second XI matches, increasing the number of fixtures during the season and giving opportunities for more players to play competitive cricket.
With the women’s professional game still developing rapidly, this allows Thunder to add fixtures into the calendar that provide game-time for their squad of 23 players. This will provide opportunities for players to perform and make a case for selection in the first team, form part of a player’s rehabilitation from injury and help younger players transition towards the senior environment.
David Thorley, Regional Director of Women’s Cricket for the North West said: “I would like to extend a huge thank you to CMS for their investment into Thunder Cricket.
“Extending their support from Lancashire Cricket into Thunder is hugely appreciated and has allowed us to invest in both the Intelligent Cricket platform and a programme of Second XI fixtures for the first time – both will form an important part of the next steps we are looking to take as a region.
“We are incredibly grateful to have the backing of Lancashire Cricket alongside a growing platform of Thunder-specific partners, including Hilton and Sportsbreaks.com – something which didn’t exist in the female game until very recently.”
CMS is one of the largest law firms in the world, with 74 offices in 43 countries and around 5000 lawyers worldwide, providing a wide range of legal services to some of the world’s largest and most dynamic businesses, across every conceivable industry sector.
The firm has a strong presence in the North of England, with offices in Sheffield and Liverpool and circa 120 people in its Manchester office. CMS also recently established a presence in Leeds.
CMS partner Geraldine Ryan: “When CMS began its partnership with Lancashire Cricket, we were keen that our support benefited all aspects of the club’s operations, so we are delighted to extend our support to the women’s team.
“The women’s game has flourished in recent years, but there is still a lot of work to be done, particularly around encouraging more girls from different backgrounds into the game. CMS is committed to diversity and inclusion, not just within the firm but across society. We hope this increased support helps Lancashire’s women’s team continue its excellent development.”