The club’s Under-11s and Under-13s teams will now play matches this season with the White Lion’s distinctive logo across their shirts, and the money will be used to provide much-needed support and equipment for the club’s thriving junior section.

Steven Sant, owner and landlord of The White Lion, said: “One of the club’s players drinks here, and he got me on a good night!

“But I’ve had pubs for 20 years and I’ve always sponsored teams around the area. Since I came to the White Lion, no-one had approached me until now, but I’m happy to do it.

“I’m happy to be supporting the juniors – it’s always good to encourage youngsters and they’re my future from a business point of view!

“I don’t play cricket or watch it either, to be honest, but it’s about supporting local sports. I may pop down and have a look now, when the season starts.”

Jonny Evans, Vice Chair of Knockin and Kinnerley Cricket Club, said: “We’re grateful to Steven and the team at The White Lion for supporting us, and I look forward to seeing our juniors playing with their logo on our shirts over the next three years.

“From our point of view, juniors is the start of it all in terms of a player’s journey in cricket. We are committed to growing our juniors section at Knockin, with upwards of 70 or 80 kids at Monday night training in the height of the summer.

“We have active U11s and U13s teams, and our women’s and girls’ team is also going from strength to strength, so there has never been a better time to come and try cricket.”

Juniors Cricket, open to all players aged five to 14, is every Monday night, starting this season from 27 April and running until 17 August. Sessions run from 6pm to around 8pm each week. Membership fees are £85 for the season (with sibling discount available for families) which reflects the same price as last year, but now includes a subsidised playing shirt with the new sponsor logo. There is still a pitch up and play option of £6 per session.

Click above or here for Membership + shirt

Pictured: Steven Sant, landlord and owner of The White Lion, left, raises a (strictly non-alcoholic) glass to toast the new sponsorship deal with U11s player Thomas Hudson and club Vice Chair, Jonny Evans.