ICEC Report - An open letter from Gloucestershire Chair, David Jones
28 June 2023
Having taken time to read the ICEC’s report and on behalf of everyone at Gloucestershire Cricket, I would like to start by echoing the ECB’s unreserved apology to anyone who has ever been excluded from cricket or made to feel like they don’t belong. It’s clear from analysing the report’s evidence and local testimonies that we have heard that sadly cricket has historically not been a game for everyone, and we must all work together to ensure the sport can be unequivocally equitable to all regardless of race, religion, gender or upbringing.
It's important to take a moment to thank the ICEC for its hard work on the report over the past two-and-a-half years and to applaud the bravery and honesty of the individuals who contributed to it. The passion and commitment from everyone involved to improve the game we all love is truly commendable.
Discrimination of any kind has no place in society and cricket is no different - whether that’s at recreational, amateur or professional level – and we must use this moment to bring the game together to deliver meaningful change and to reset cricket. Those who lead cricket have a responsibility to do whatever it takes to create a culture that eliminates discrimination and inequity in the game and we at Gloucestershire, as one of the 18 First Class Counties, understand fully our role in that. We will spend the next three months listening to and working with the ECB, who will lead on behalf of the game on developing an action plan that delivers real and lasting change.
These necessary changes may translate to structural reform that specifically tackles class-based discrimination. As the ICEC outline, there appears to be significant barriers within the current youth cricket and talent pathway systems that prevent some children from some backgrounds being able to access the same opportunities as private school students, for example. While this does make for distressing reading, we have been and are actively working to ensure that state school pupils have a greater opportunity now and in the future to engage with our Emerging Player Programme and Talent Pathway. Accessibility is vital to the overall health of diversity and inclusion in the sport and we acknowledge there’s still lots of work to be done to meet the ECB’s stated ambition – to make cricket the most inclusive sport in England and Wales.
Institutional change certainly doesn’t happen overnight and we know we have a long road ahead to achieve the desired level of diversity and inclusion within all facets of Gloucestershire Cricket. Since the publication of our own EDI Action Plan in 2021, ‘Gloucestershire 4 All’, however, we have made encouraging progress towards being a welcoming and inclusive venue to individuals from all backgrounds. From the introduction of a multi-faith room at the Seat Unique Stadium and the formation of our first ever LGBTQ+ Supporters Group, to our recent partnerships with the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) and the Her Game Too campaign against sexism in sport, I remain confident that Gloucestershire is striving to create an environment that’s welcoming and safe for all within society.
That being said, I am under no illusion of the scale of the challenge ahead of us – and the game as a whole – and wholeheartedly welcome this report as the catalyst required to change cricket and meet the needs of future generations.
Gloucestershire has engaged with Bristol’s Commission on Race Equality (CoRE) as well as other local stakeholders, and we are part of the Gloucestershire-wide EDI Working Group, led by the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation (GCF), as together we work to ensure cricket in Bristol and Gloucestershire is truly inclusive for all. Over the coming weeks and months Gloucestershire Cricket will remain in regular dialogue with the ECB regarding the ICEC’s recommendations and what we can do at a regional level to make meaningful and long-lasting change.
David Jones,
Chair,
Gloucestershire Cricket
