The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that it is to expand its Howzat! initiative as part of a bid to improve cricket coaching in schools.

Launched in 2000, the updated educational resource will be distributed to 1,000 cricket coaches and 1,000 school teachers each year to tie in with the launch of the new national curriculum. Howzat! has been been specifically designed for teachers based around pre-installed software to enhance the delivery of high-quality school sports through cricket.

More than 1,300 copies have already been sent out to qualified cricket coaches working as part of the Cricket Foundation's 'Chance to shine' programme, and will offer a combination of 670,000 games and practices. ECB chair, Giles Clarke, said: "The redesign and re-launch of Howzat! shows our unwavering commitment to producing quality cricket coaching in schools and meeting the needs of pupils and teachers.

"The legacy of Howzat! will be significant in aiding the production of both quality cricketers and healthy children over coming years." Howzat! was originally developed eight years ago as a paper-based resource which had been distributed to two thirds of state schools across England with the aim of helping teachers deliver cricket in schools.

Ed Balls, the children, schools and families secretary, helped launch the revamped product. He said: "Cricket and other competitive sports have huge spin-off benefits for young people in and out of the classroom. "It's vital that the sport continues to flourish – and that future generations get the coaching they need and teachers the support they need to deliver the national curriculum."