New Balance to replace Adidas as England cricket kit manufacturer in deal worth over £5m
American sportswear brand New Balance has agreed a deal with the ECB to kit out the England cricket team when its current deal with Adidas comes to an end next year.
According to reports the Boston-based sportswear manufacturer, which designs shirts worn by Premier League sides Liverpool and Stoke City, will fork out more than the £1m currently paid by Adidas over a five-year agreement.
German sports giant Adidas have been kit suppliers to England team since 2008, but are believed to be making cutbacks in order to offset the recent record-breaking £750m deal it agreed with Manchester United.
In contrast, New Balance has increased its interest in cricket in recent years, agreeing a five-year manufacturing deal with world No1 side South Africa last year and snapping up England stars Joe Root, Gary Ballance, Ben Morgan and Mark Wood to endorsement deals.
A relatively new player in the market, New Balance has only begun producing its first cricket bats for sale in the last couple of years.