Cricketers will be able to show off their skills thanks to £50,000 of government funding for a community programme.

Culture minister Sajid Javid made the announcement during a visit to Sussex County Cricket Club, in Hove, on Thursday to pledge the funding to help provide cricket based initiatives in the county.

The Sussex Cricket in the Community programmes will run in Brighton and Crawley and will allow youngsters to develop citizenship, education and healthy living skills through Street20.

The announcement was part of a whistle stop tour of Sussex by the minister this week, which included a meeting with Brighton Kemptown MP Simon Kirby at the American Express Community Stadium to discuss the Rugby World Cup and the work of Albion in the Community.

Mr Javid also met Eastbourne tennis tournament director Gavin Fletcher and Conservative parliamentary candidate for Eastbourne Caroline Ansell.

Tim Shutt, head of Sussex Cricket in the Community, said: “This investment from the DCMS will enable us to run cricket in different ways in different communities with the clear purpose that this is cricket for social good rather than just cricket for cricket's sake.”