Kolkata, Aug 19 (IANS): International Cricket Council (ICC) Level 1 coach Aparup Chakraborty kick-started his cricket coaching centre -- the "Straight Drive Cricket Academy" -- in association with Cricket Australia (CA) here on Wednesday.

The academy has the rights to deliver the Cricket Education Programme (CEP) which has been designed by the Australian board, Chakraborty told the media.

The programme, slated to be conducted at the City Athletic Club ground, will strive to provide a six-level cricket development plan after which a player will be awarded a 'Diploma of Cricket' certificate from CA.

Former Australian speedster Brett Lee is the Brand Ambassador' and batsman Michael Hussey and Ellyse Perry are the role models' of the cricket education programme, he said.

The programme will also allow its students the opportunity to play the Under-14 and Under-17 tournaments held by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).

Chakraborty also confirmed that there will be a Women's Cricket Academy "the first of its kind in Maidan (the city's sports hub)."

Present at the event were CAB joint secretary Subir Ganguly, treasurer Biswaroop Dey and former India women's captain Jhulan Goswami.

"It is time to have better infrastructure in place so that we can have the next Sourav Ganguly or Jhulan Goswami coming up from these academies," Dey said.

"I would want the academy to help us spread cricket in the districts. There is a lot of untapped talent out there," Ganguly opined.

A jersey for the academy was also unveiled with the CA logo on the left.