Norfolk County Cricket Club have joined forces with the Norfolk Cricket Board to support the county's Emerging Players Programme.

The county club have invested £500 directly into the programme, which is run by Norfolk captain Chris Brown, a Level Four qualified coach.

The money will be used to extend the programme – which is aimed at developing the best young cricket talent in the county – in the future, with additional group and individual sessions.

Brown said: 'The Emerging Players Programme has been run by the NCB for six years now and aims to provide additional expert coaching in skills, tactics, psychology and physical development of the best young players in Norfolk, linking these players to talent identification at First Class counties. In that time graduates from the programme to First Class counties include Jaik Mickleburgh, Olly Stone, Sam Arthurton, Ryan Findlay, Callum Taylor, Matthew Taylor and Matthew Plater, and we hope to see many more in the coming years.'

NCB development manager Kieron Tuck said: 'Our relationship with the county club is now on an excellent footing and this investment in to our programmes demonstrates this. They know the value and quality of the player pathway we offer and realise the benefit of maintaining and developing these programmes for the long term benefit of Norfolk cricket.

'With budgets becoming tighter for the future this sort of added investment is vital for the NCB in order to maintain the quality and impact of the successful programmes we run. We are very grateful to the county club for this vote of confidence in what we have to offer.'

Norfolk CCC chairman Graham Littlewood added: ' The Emerging Players Programme is a vital component in the development of Norfolk's young talented cricketers. The success of the programme is there for all to see and the county club are delighted to assist through their investment.

'Many of the current Norfolk squad came through the programme and we are looking forward to seeing some of the graduates making their debut shortly.''