Lyricist Sir Tim Rice will be backing the England cricket team during the final Ashes Test Match at the Kia Oval in support of national children’s charity Chance to Shine. Sir Tim will be donating £15,000 for every hundred scored and every five-wicket haul taken and £5,000 for every fifty and three-wicket haul achieved by Joe Root’s side.

Sir Tim has been a long-term supporter of the charity which gives opportunities for over half a million children every year to play, learn and develop through cricket. Chance to Shine works in primary schools and, since its launch in 2005, has given over 4 million children the chance to engage with bat and ball.

In addition, the charity’s ‘Street’ programme brings cricket to thousands of young people in disadvantaged urban areas across the country. Street uses the sport to increase aspirations, promote social cohesion and create opportunities in many diverse communities. The charity also works to develop physical, social and mental wellbeing of children; building skills like teamwork, communication and resilience.

“As a passionate cricket fan I can’t think of a more remarkable and inspiring summer for the game in this country” says Sir Tim. “We need to capture the opportunity and, therefore, I’m delighted to follow in the footsteps of Sir Mick Jagger, who supported Chance to Shine so generously last year. It is a wonderful organisation that grows the game amongst the young and offers them the chance to develop life skills at the same time.”

Chance to Shine chief executive, Laura Cordingley said “We are overwhelmed by Sir Tim’s generosity and hope that Joe and the team can help to raise an incredible amount of money to allow us to continue in our mission of spreading the power of cricket to many more children and young people. Just £6 will help us to support a child for 6 weeks coaching and we would be hugely grateful if the members of the great British public would back us too.”

On Friday 13 September at the Kia Oval, the charity will be raising funds in ground to support their work in state schools and disadvantaged communities. Donations to the charity are also being matched until the end of September by key funding partner the England and Wales Cricket Board.

£6 pays for a child to receive 6 weeks of coaching in a Chance to Shine school, text Cricket6 to 70450 give £6 today (text costs amount + standard message rate).