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Cheltenham & Gloucester has signed a three-year deal worth more

than pounds 4m to become title sponsor of English county cricket's most

prestigious one-day competition.

The financial services brand, part of the LloydsTSB Group, will take

over from NatWest as sponsor of the county trophy from this year's

tournament, which begins next month, until the summer of 2003. The

competition will be known as the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy.

The deal represents Cheltenham & Gloucester's highest-profile sports

marketing programme to date, and will provide a second welcome boost to

English cricket, following the announcement earlier this year that

Npower has struck an pounds 11m deal to sponsor England's home Test

matches.

Roger Burden, managing director of Cheltenham & Gloucester, said the

deal would reinforce the brand's commitment to cricket.

The deal was negotiated by the England & Wales Cricket Board's

commercial department in conjunction with Sportsworld Media Group.