Former England, Surrey, Kent and Hampshire cricketer, Michael Carberry will take up the role of Cricket Project Director. Carberry is currently Head Coach at the London Schools’ Cricket Association and has been a prominent voice for the sport when it comes to equity, diversity and inclusion.
He will be working closely with the new Cricket Project Manager, Tom Brown, who has spent the last four years researching talent ID and development in the sport. Off the back of his research, Brown and former England fast bowler Kabir Ali created the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) as a short to medium term intervention to help redress the issues his research outlined.
Together, they will review the issues and consult with key stakeholders, informing the direction of Kick it Out’s work in cricket, following the announcement of an exploratory partnership between the anti-discrimination charity and the English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) earlier this year.
The ECB donated £100,000 to this partnership which will identify and address the challenges for people from underrepresented groups within the game, matching a donation from Kick It Out’s long-term partner, Sky.
Building on Kick It Out’s strategic approach, the partnership will initially focus on four key pillars: Voice, Skills, Talent, Data. The project will explore ideas and issues that fall under each pillar, developing tangible actions that will have real impact, supporting the ECB and wider game of cricket to become a game where everyone belongs. Kick It Out will also challenge all aspects of discrimination, unfair practices and conduct at all levels of cricket, while also helping to provide sustainable solutions.
Tony Burnett, Kick It Out CEO says: “We are thrilled to have Michael and Tom on board to help shape our work with the ECB to drive inclusion and equity in cricket. The level of experience, expertise and insight they bring will be invaluable as we look to understand and overcome some of the challenges the sport presents for participants from underrepresented groups. I look forward to working alongside them both.”
Kate Miller, ECB Chief Diversity and Communications Officer, said: “With Kick It Out’s experience and insight, we want to build on the work already under way across cricket to tackle discrimination and make our sport more welcoming and inclusive. We look forward to working with Michael and Tom through this partnership.”