Discrimination in cricket: Sport 'moving in the right direction' on equity

Cricket is not where it wants to be but is "moving in the right direction" on inclusion and equity, says an independent assessment of the game in England and Wales.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has published an update on its response to a damning report in 2023 which said racism, sexism, classism and elitism are "widespread" in the sport.

Sports Structures, who looked into the professional and grassroots game, said there has been "genuine progress" but pointed to a number of areas that require improvement.

"The tone of the conversation has changed and inclusion is increasingly viewed as integral to cricket's health, not an external demand," a statement said.

"Cricket is not yet where it aspires to be, but it is moving in the right direction, with growing honesty and shared purpose.

"The challenge now is to sustain momentum, connect national ambition with local reality, and build a game in which fairness, trust, diversity, and belonging are truly universal."

As part of its 2023 report, Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) gave 44 recommendations to the ECB for improvements. Later that year the ECB accepted "most" as it began implementing change.

One of those commitments was to publish a "full State of Equity Report every three years". This is the ECB doing so a year early.

While highlighting improvements in less senior positions, Sports Structures said diversity in leadership in the county game has "not fully extended into senior executive and operational roles".

There has been no change in the number of female chairs at the 18 counties since 2019, with Dame Sarah Storey, who is currently interim chair at Lancashire, the only incumbent. The ECB called this a "key focus for the coming years".

The amount of ethnic diversity among county chairs and chief executives has also remained at 6%. There had been a slight increase before Essex chair Anu Mohindru resigned in September after he was found to have lied about studying at the University of Oxford.

"Diversity in leadership and representation is improving but remains uneven," Sports Structures said.

The professionalisation of the women's game was praised - the number of professional players increased this year with the new domestic structure - but it was found investment is "not yet consistent" and expectations "often exceed the resources available".

There is also a lack of diversity in coaches in the professional game while Sport Structures said disability cricket "still needs deeper integration within county and club systems".

The introduction of the cricket regulator, brought in after the ICEC report, was also praised.

ECB chief executive Richard Gould said: "The State of Equity in Cricket Report holds us to account in relation to our ambitions to become the most inclusive team sport.

"It shows us some areas of excellent work and progress, as well as where we need to go further.

"The extensive work to open up the talent pathway to young people from every background is a great example of the changes that can be made when cricketing organisations join forces to break down barriers and deliver systemic change.

"We know there is still a great deal of work to do, and a number of areas where more action is needed to address structural issues.

"We said from the start there could be no quick fix, but we committed to delivering meaningful and lasting change, and that will remain our absolute focus in the months and years ahead as we build on the progress we are setting out today."

Cindy Butts, chair of the initial commission, said on Thursday: "It's heartening to see progress - and it's also a reminder that real equity in sport demands persistence, honesty, and the will to keep going long after the headlines fade.

"Since the Commission's report, I've been watching progress from a distance.

"I'm regularly contacted by journalists and by people within and outside the game, some encouraged by what's changing, others desperate for deeper, faster progress.

"That mix of hope and impatience is healthy. It keeps the pressure where it belongs. Today's report reflects that dual truth: steps forward, and a long road still ahead."

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