Racism is entrenched in cricket and women routinely experience sexism and misogyny within the sport, a new report has concluded.
The sport continues to be elitist, with little to no focus given to addressing class barriers, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report ‘Holding Up A Mirror To Cricket’, said.
More than 4,000 people responded to the ICEC’s call for evidence when it was putting the report together, with one in two saying they had experienced discrimination within the game.
The report made 44 recommendations, including as “an essential first step” a call for the England and Wales Cricket Board to make an unqualified public apology recognising that racism, sexism, elitism and class-based discrimination existed and still exist and recognise the impact of that upon victims.
ECB chair Richard Thompson has apologised and pledged in a letter to ICEC chair Cindy Butts: “We will use this moment to reset cricket.”
The ICEC report, which was commissioned by the ECB in November 2020, found the game’s structures led to racial disparities and discrimination, and that the women’s game was subordinate to the men’s, with women given little power, voice or influence. Butts said women were treated as “second-class citizens” in the game.
Private schools dominated the talent pathway, with scarce provision of cricket in state schools and substantial cost barriers faced by those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
The report also found cricket’s complaints systems “confusing”, “overly defensive” and “not fit for purpose”. It said victims and those accused of discrimination were not properly supported, with people often “suffering in silence” for fear of victimisation or simply out of a conviction that no action would take place.
The report found game-wide confusion over how the regulatory system in regard to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) worked, and highlighted the ECB’s dual role as a promoter and regulator as a “conflict of interest”.
“Our findings are unequivocal,” Butts said.
“Racism, class-based discrimination, elitism and sexism are widespread and deep-rooted.
“The game must face up to the fact that it’s not banter or just a few bad apples. Discrimination is both overt and baked into the structures and processes within cricket.
“The stark reality is cricket is not a game for everyone.
“Whilst there has been commendable and significant progress in the women’s game, women continue to be treated as second-class citizens with unequal access, pay and treatment. The England Women’s team are yet to play a Test Match at Lord’s, the home of cricket!
“Eighty-seven per cent of Pakistani and Bangladeshi respondents, 82 per cent of Indian respondents and 75 per cent of black respondents to our survey told us they have experienced discrimination, which is simply unacceptable.
“If you attend a state school, you’re less likely to have access to cricket and have the same opportunity to progress in the game as your private school peers. For those who do ‘make it’ we were saddened to hear they were sometimes subjected to class-based discrimination. Cricket needs to urgently level the playing field.”
Butts did highlight the report had found “encouraging examples of good practice” and congratulated the ECB for being “brave enough” to commission the report in the first place.
Butts added: “We have confidence in the ECB’s new leadership and their ability to take our recommendations forward – the proof will be demonstrable change.
“The game must now lean into the uncomfortable truths and commit to reforming cricket’s culture, structures and processes. This is the only way to make cricket genuinely a sport for all.”
Among the 44 recommendations are a call for a fundamental overhaul of the pay structure in the women’s professional game and equal representation for the women’s game throughout the governance structure of English and Welsh cricket.
The report found women received “an embarrassingly small amount” compared to men, with the ICEC saying it had “credible evidence” that the average salary for England Women was 20.6 per cent of that received by their male counterparts in white-ball cricket – though the ECB considers this figure to be up to 30 per cent.
The report recommended equal pay on average at domestic level by 2029 and at international level by 2030.
The ECB must also develop an action plan to “revive” black cricket, through financial support and targeted community programmes.
The talent pathway must be completely overhauled by 2025 to make it more “meritocratic”, the report said, and crucially it called for an independent regulator to increase trust and confidence in the process and address concerns over conflicts of interest.
Butts’ introduction to the report concluded: “To those who don’t recognise there is a problem, those who think cricket’s problems are isolated,
those who mistakenly believe focusing on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion is distracting cricket from cricket, I have one clear message: if cricket is to survive and thrive, and become a game genuinely for all, it has to grip the opportunities I truly believe our recommendations represent.
“I remain optimistic that cricket will respond to this challenge with passion, creativity, and commitment.”
The report recommended that the MCC move the annual matches between Eton and Harrow and Oxford and Cambridge away from Lord’s after this year, to be replaced by national finals days for state schools.
It also called for the ECB to revisit its high-profile match allocation criteria when the current set expire next year and place a greater emphasis on EDI in them. The report said being allocated such matches, or having the right to host them withdrawn, is a powerful tool to encourage compliance with EDI.
Jaiswal, Kohli tons put India on the verge of win against Australia
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli bagged magnificent centuries to put India in a commanding position on day three of their first Test match against Australia in Perth.
India declared in a dominant position of 487-6 after Jaiswal (161) built on their 172-0 at stumps on day two and former captain Kohli (100 not out) added quick runs with his first century in 16 months coming up during the final hour.
The tourists then wreaked havoc with the ball in five overs before stumps as captain Jasprit Bumrah dismissed debutant Nathan McSweeney (zero) and Marnus Labuschagne (three) before nightwatchman Cummins (two) fell to Mohammed Siraj with the score at 12, as the hosts trail by 521 runs with seven wickets in hand.
Earlier in the Test, India had scored 150 batting first before bundling out Australia for 104 in the first innings.
Jaiswal resumed his innings at 90 on the third day and brought up his century in the first hour before KL Rahul departed for 77 after an opening-wicket partnership of 201.
The centurion fell as India's third wicket at 313-3 as Australia picked up three wickets in the space of eight runs, but Kohli reached his ton with help from Washington Sundar (29) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (38 not out) as India asserted their dominance.
Greaves hits unbeaten ton as West Indies dominate Bangladesh
Justin Greaves hit an unbeaten century – his first red-ball ton – as West Indies ended day two of their first Test against Bangladesh with a commanding 410-run lead.
Greaves resumed alongside Joshua Da Silva with West Indies 250-5 after day one in Antigua, eventually slamming 115 runs off 206 balls faced as the hosts established a dominant position.
His steady knock ensured the Windies recovered nicely after slipping to 261-7 early on, while Kemar Roach hit a career-best 47 through four defiant hours at the crease.
Hasan Mahmud took three day-two wickets for Bangladesh, including that of Roach, as his short delivery angled in to clip the top of middle stump.
Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite declared to put Bangladesh at the crease late on, and there was no respite for the tourists against the hosts' four-man pace attack.
Zakir Hasan fell to Jayden Seales for 15, while Mahmudul Hasan Joy edged Alzarri Joseph for five shortly after being dropped, leaving Bangladesh 40-2 at stumps.
Data Debrief: Career-best for Greaves
Greaves' unbeaten 115 marked his first century in Test cricket, surpassing his previous best knock – a score of 33 versus Australia in January – by some distance.
His strike rate of 55.83 on Saturday, while steady, also bettered his effort of 55.00 during that match in Brisbane. Thanks to his efforts, Bangladesh have a real mountain to climb on day three.
Inglis hails 'hard to stop' Stoinis after ruthless knock
Josh Inglis lauded "hard to stop" Marcus Stoinis as Australia signed off their T20I series against Pakistan in style, claiming a whitewash.
The hosts raced to a seven-wicket victory with almost nine overs remaining in Monday's third match.
After Australia's bowlers had limited Pakistan to just 117 runs, Stoinis ensured they signed off their final white-ball assignment in style, with his unbeaten 61 doing the damage.
Only twice has he bettered that knock in T20Is – versus New Zealand in 2021 (78) and against Oman at the World Cup earlier this year (67*).
"It's been a great week. We've had a lot of fun as a group," Inglis said. "It's been really nice.
"When Stoinis is going like that, he is really hard to stop. One of those sixes was probably the biggest I've ever seen!"
Stoinis, who was named player of the match, added: "Nice to score some runs on a beautiful wicket but credit to the bowlers who kept the total down.
"Yeah, I actually told [Haris] Rauf that this is the first time any of us got the better of him! No, he's a brilliant bowler, bowled well this series."
During their white-ball tour, Pakistan won the ODI series, their first time doing so in Australia in 22 years, but got whitewashed in the T20Is.
Despite the heavy loss, captain Agha Salman chose to focus on the positive effect the experience will have on their young players.
"I think in the middle overs, we didn't capitalise on the start," he said. "But lots of positives.
"The way Usman [Khan] batted, the way Jahandad [Khan] bowled. These youngsters will come good.
"It's obviously a big achievement winning the ODI series, but we could have done much better in the T20Is."
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