Image Source- ECB
Following the release of the governing body’s response
to this summer’s damning report by the Independent Commission for Equity in
Cricket (ICEC), which found the sport to be institutionally discriminatory on
the grounds of race, class, and gender, Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief
executive, said that English cricket is “on a journey to try and change
history” but acknowledged that funding will be an ongoing issue.
In its 317 pages, the report included 44
recommendations, including one to change school cricket and talent paths to
“make it more meritocratic, inclusive, accountable, transparent and
consistent” and one to call for equal remuneration in men’s and women’s
competitions.
Following an initial three-month period of
consideration, the ECB’s 34-page response, “Making Cricket A More
Inclusive Sport,” was initiated by Clare Connor, the organization’s deputy
chief executive, with the support of a sub-group of the board that included Baroness
Zahida Manzoor, Pete Ackerley, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Sir Ron Kalifa, Richard
Thompson, and Gould.
The ICEC called for equal pay at the domestic level by
2029 and at the international level (including ECB contracts) by 2030, and the
ECB believes it is on track to implement “94%” of these
recommendations. However, it acknowledged that “further analysis”
will be necessary for the remaining recommendations.
“We have two priorities at the moment in terms of
finances for the game,” Gould said. “One is ICEC, to ensure we can
deliver on those [recommendations] and the wider discussion on EDI [equality,
diversity and inclusion]. The other is to make sure that we don’t lose all of
our best players to a variety of different franchise tournaments around the world.”
Addressing the ECB’s response, Thompson, the chair,
reiterated the unreserved apology he had offered on the day of the initial ICEC
findings in June, and reaffirmed the board’s “absolute commitment”
that cricket will “strive to become the most inclusive sport in England
and Wales”.
“This response represents a set of actions that
will accelerate and intensify our work to make cricket a game for everyone,
actions that cricket can deliver and fund within an achievable timeframe. It
builds on a huge amount of work which is already under way right across the
network.
“Cricket hasn’t got it right in the past, but
this is an opportunity to move forwards together. I’d urge everyone to now come
together, to put their energy and effort into delivering these actions, and to
playing their part in ensuring cricket becomes England and Wales’s most
inclusive team sport.”