Cricket in England and Wales faces an “existential” issue if it fails to address the failings highlighted by a new report, England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould has said.
The long-awaited Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report found racism was entrenched in the sport, that women routinely encountered sexism and misogyny and that little or no action has been taken to address class barriers within the sport.
The ICEC report describes the sport in England and Wales as “elitist and exclusionary”.
The ECB issued an unreserved apology for the failings highlighted in the report and to the victims of discrimination in cricket, and will work over the next three months on a package of reforms based on the 44 recommendations within the report.
Gould said the report could not simply be dismissed as part of a culture war, adding: “It is an existential issue for the sport. This is a report that the ECB specifically asked for two and a half years ago, and deliberately did not set narrow parameters.
“The game wants to understand, we want to understand, the seriousness of the issues and that’s why we’re grateful to the commissioners.
“You talk about direct language – we wouldn’t want it in any other way because then it leaves us in no doubt as to the state of the game and what needs to be done in order to drive forward.
“This report is a seminal moment for us. It helps us to fully understand the scope of the issues within the game, it allows us to understand the apologies that we quite rightly make to those people that suffered discrimination.
“We are determined to be able to act on this report and deliver on its intent in the coming months.
“This report will contain lots of information which will come as a shock to many and many people will be disappointed by. But there’s also a huge amount of determination throughout the game, throughout the country, to make sure that cricket can deliver and in only a way that cricket can.”
The ICEC report highlighted past, failed efforts to act on discrimination in the sport.
It said the ECB’s efforts to address the challenges of equity, diversity and inclusion in cricket only gained real momentum following the introduction of its independent board in 2018, nearly 19 years after the 1999 ‘Clean Bowl Racism’ report concluded that racism existed in cricket.
Asked why the response would be different this time to 1999, Gould said: “You’re quite right to allude to a report previously, which was not acted on in a sufficient manner. Determination (to get it right this time) is huge.
“And I think that the quality of work that’s gone into this report will help us to find the right routes through and we expect to be held to account as we go forward.”
England batter Ollie Pope spoke at Lord’s ahead of the second Ashes Test and prior to the publication of the report.
The 25-year-old is one of a number of current internationals to come through an exclusive private school education, in this case Whitgift School, but made it clear he felt the sport had to make sure that the national side represented the broadest possible cross-section of society.
“I think there is a lot more we can keep doing as players. As an England team, we’re in a great position where we have got all eyes on us and it is definitely something we’re aware of and definitely something we can keep driving forward,” he said.
“The next guys doing what we’re doing now in 20 years, we want to have the whole country to choose from, not just a certain group of people. That’s something we talk about as a team and are aware of. We know that we can keep promoting that, for the sport and for the country. It is a sport for everyone and I think it definitely 100 per cent should be as well.
“(At Surrey) we’re a club that’s got different religions, different races, guys coming from overseas. That’s the important thing and an opportunity to learn a lot about other team-mates’ religions and ways of life. I think that’s something that’s being spoken about a lot more now and I think it’s important those conversations keep happening.”
Among the proposals is a call for equal representation for the women’s game throughout the governance structure of English and Welsh cricket.
While England captain Heather Knight said she has not yet read the report, she believes there have been incremental advancements in the women’s game recently even if there is still some way to go.
She highlighted the Women’s Ashes Test being extended into a fifth day as an example of glass ceilings being broken.
Speaking after their 89-run defeat to Australia at Trent Bridge on Monday, she said after being asked whether her voice was being heard: “It’s definitely been listened to a lot more recently.
“Having five days is probably testament to that – I’ve been hammering that drum for quite a long time.
“We’ve still got some way to go but I do think things have changed and things are starting to tip, particularly in women’s cricket. There’s certainly progress to be made but let’s not forget the progress we’ve made.”
Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, chair of the House of Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport Committee, hopes the report prompts significant change.
She said: “Today’s report confirms the Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s finding 18 months ago that there is a deep-seated issue of racism in cricket.
“The volume of evidence, not only of racial discrimination but also of sexism and elitism, is unacceptable in a sport that should be for everyone, and must now be a catalyst for change.
“The test now for the new leadership of the ECB is to ensure the whole sport is a welcome and inclusive place for all. We welcome their recognition of the need to reset, and look forward to making sure they follow through on their commitments.”
Karthik announces retirement from cricket
Dinesh Karthik has announced he is retiring from all cricket, bringing an end to his nearly 20-year career.
Karthik represented India in 180 matches across all formats, making his debut in September 2004, but has not played for his national side since the 2022 T20 World Cup.
He has been a part of the Indian Premier League since its inaugural season in 2008, representing six teams, including two spells at Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
His most recent stint with RCB saw him play a vital role in their run to the playoffs, where they ultimately lost to Rajasthan Royals.
In a social media post on Saturday, his 39th birthday, Karthik announced his decision to retire from the sport.
"Having given it plenty of thought for some time now, I have decided to move on from playing representative cricket," Karthik said in his statement.
"I officially announce my retirement and put my playing days behind me as I square up for the new challenges that lie ahead.
"I'd like to thank all my coaches, captains, selectors, teammates and members of the support staff who have made this long journey pleasant and enjoyable. Among the millions that play the sport in our country, I consider myself among the lucky few to have had the chance to represent the nation, and luckier still to have earned the goodwill of so many fans and friends.
"My parents have been pillars of strength and support over all these years, and I wouldn't be what I am without their blessings. I also owe plenty to Dipika [Pallikal], herself a professional sportsperson who often put her career on hold to walk my journey with me.
"Of course, to all the fans and followers of our great game, a massive thank you! Cricket and cricketers wouldn't be the same without your support and good wishes."
Karthik is one of just seven players to feature in every edition of the IPL so far, playing 256 games across that run.
He also played for Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals), Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Overall, Karthik scored 4816 runs, striking at over 135 with 22 half-centuries. As a keeper, he is second only to MS Dhoni in overall dismissals (172) as well as stumpings (36).
IPL: Mumbai Indians condemned to last-place finish after 18-run defeat to Super Giants
Rohit Sharma's half-century was not enough for Mumbai Indians as they slipped to an 18-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants at Wankhede Stadium.
The defeat consigned Mumbai to bottom place in the Indian Premier League for the second time in the space of three seasons, after losing 10 matches this year.
LSG were also left to lament their misfortune, as despite reaching 14 points, they did not qualify for the play-offs.
KL Rahul's 55 got the ball rolling for Lucknow, but their innings was ebbing out until Nicholas Pooran's dazzling 29-ball 75 took them to 214-6, despite the efforts of Nuwan Thushara (3-28) and Piyush Chawla (3-29), who stepped up in Jasprit Bumrah's absence.
Rohit's 38-ball 68 set the tone for what looked set to be a promising Mumbai chase, as he struck 13 boundaries around a short rain delay.
However, Mumbai went from 88 without loss to 120-5 in the space of six overs, leaving the tail with too much of a mountain to climb.
Data Debrief: Lucknow miss out
While Mumbai sit bottom of the pile yet again, it is a case of what might have been for LSG, who for the first time in their three-season history, failed to make the top four.
Fourteen points is often enough to get over the line and into the play-offs, but their poor net run rate of -0.667 means they miss out.
Tape ball programme can help England find unorthodox talent – Richard Gould
The England and Wales Cricket Board hopes to unearth a new seam of talent beyond the game’s traditional league structure with a national tape ball scheme that allows players to thrive without “whites, willow and leather”.
The practice of using a soft ball wrapped in electrical tape to aid swing and variable bounce is a common one in Asia, where it has helped produce express pace bowlers like Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi and spinners such as Rashid Khan and Shakib-al-Hasan, but has been slow to enter the mainstream conversation in the United Kingdom.
The Chance to Shine charity has long pioneered tape ball cricket as part of its engagement hubs and now, with the ECB keen to live up to its lofty aspiration of becoming the most inclusive team sport in the country, it is at the heart of a new core cities programme designed to engage ‘diverse communities in urban areas’.
Speaking at a launch event where games were hosted in a warehouse space in Birmingham, ECB chief executive Richard Gould was optimistic about reaching out to those with an interest in cricket but limited access to the pavilions and prepared pitches in the club setup.
“We talk about clubs with picket fences around them. In the past that has been seen as the preserve of the ECB. We’ve missed a complete trick on that,” he said.
“When we talk about the recreational game we’re not just talking about Premier League clubs and village cricket clubs now. We’re talking about all forms of cricket that take place.
“You can play the game anywhere, any time, with anybody, in any environment you want. You don’t have to have whites, willow and leather to do it. You can just pick up a bat and a ball and have some fun.”
As well as fulfilling its remit of reaching out to all comers at a grassroots level, Gould also believes there are benefits to finding cricketers with different styles who have learned the game outside the traditional, private-school heavy pathways.
“Without doubt there are,” he said. “We have to get out and try to find the talent. More to the point, we have to try and find talent in areas that we haven’t normally looked for it.
“I do think county pathways will be looking to make sure they don’t miss out on this talent. It’s just about punching through all of our normal procedures and finding ways to both get people in the game and unearthing that talent which may be unorthodox and great.”
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