COACH Kevin Boardman has been recognised for outstanding services to grassroots cricket by former England all-rounder Sir Ian Botham.

Sir Ian presented a special coaching certificate to the Mildenhall Cricket Club coach during the first Investec Test against South Africa at the Kia Oval.

Boardman was given the exclusive opportunity to attend the Test match as part of the Sky Sports ECB Coach Education programme. Seven coaches, all of whom were being acknowledged by the programme’s ‘Reward and Recognition’ scheme, met with Botham during lunch on the pitch at the Kia Oval.

More than one hundred coaches from across the county will be recognised during the 2012 season, which comprises a series of on-pitch presentations throughout the summer by various cricket legends and the Sky Sports broadcast team.

Boardman has been coaching for 30 years at Mildenhall CC, across all age groups from six years old upwards.

Two of his most major success stories include Tymal Mills and Tom Westley, both of whom have represented England U19s and now play for Essex.

Boardman said: “Before Sky Sports and the ECB started the Coach Education Programme there was not enough funding to provide all the things we needed to. In the last five years however, Sky Sports and the ECB have consistently invested in grassroots cricket, which has helped us no end.”

The Sky Sports ECB Coach Education Programme aims to attract and train coaches at all levels of cricket in England and Wales. Since the beginning of BSkyB’s sponsorship in 2006, more than 45,000 coaches have gone through the scheme – over triple the original target. For every professional cricketer in England and Wales, there are now over 100 grassroots coaches.

The programme’s ‘Reward and Recognition’ scheme aims to identify those cricket coaches across England and Wales that go above and beyond the call of duty to help grassroots cricket flourish.

For more information about Sky Sports ECB Coach Education Programme, visit www.ecb.co.uk/development/coach-education