ECB announce first set of measures to strengthen inclusion, diversity

The killing of George Floyd in the United States of America and subsequent Black Lives Matter movement, prompted the cricket world to have fresh conversations about racism and lack of diversity in the game. Ebony Rainford-Brent, Michael Carberry, Devon Malcolm and Mark Butcher were some of the prominent former England cricketers to speak out about the need for diversity.

Earlier in June the ECB talked about their commitment to change things and acknowledged the voices against racism in cricket. “We have listened to those who have spoken out in recent weeks about their experiences of being black in cricket, sport and society,” said the ECB in a press release on June 12.

The ECB will seek to improve Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) representation among board members. They will also work with first-class county and county boards to support them reaching the representation targets, to have at least 30% women and a BAME target - depending on the make-up of the local community - as soon as possible.

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“Alongside most of society, we have had to confront some uncomfortable truths in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. We have listened and will continue to listen carefully to the experiences of Black people in cricket and society, and we thank those who worked tirelessly and spoke bravely to open up conversations about the change our sport needs to create,” said Tom Harrison, ECB chief executive officer.

“We have made strong strides in many areas to become a more inclusive and diverse sport, but we realise there is a great deal more to do.”

Coaching grants will be introduced to have future black coaches, increase of cricket provision in ethnically diverse schools and an anti-discrimination charter and code for the players, coaches, fans, media and clubs across the professional and recreational game.

The ECB along with the Players Cricket Association (PCA) will consult the current and past BAME players to chalk out a well thought-out plan. They will also collaborate with Black communities, influencers and stakeholders recruited from across cricket, with Harrison leading the initial meetings.

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The ECB also appointed Sanjay Patel, MD of The Hundred, as executive Inclusion and Diversity champion, to shape impactful programs to reach and resonate with Black communities and other diverse groups.  The announcement is designed to extend the ECB’s existing Inclusion & Diversity action plan. The measures are also part of five-year Inspiring Generations strategy, which aims to increase the reach and engagement with cricket through projects such as The Hundred, transforming women’s and girls’ cricket, and the South Asian Action Plan.

“Our Inspiring Generations strategy – with the launch of The Hundred and initiatives to increase participation among women and girls and get more schools playing – represents a five-year plan to grow cricket and make it more relevant to our diverse nation. These first steps in our expanded Inclusion and Diversity plans will now support it and help us make sure we don’t leave anyone behind,” Harrison added.

“We are thankful to those within cricket who have given us their views and insights and are committed to keeping us honest and focused on our delivery to Black communities. Through their experiences, and their desire for change, we are certain we can start to create lasting foundations into Black communities and see a future that creates a more inclusive cricket world.”