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The England and Wales Cricket Board will on Monday outline its attempts to create a more level playing field after a damning insight into the sport earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Following a two-year inquiry, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) reported racism, sexism, elitism and classism as \u201cwidespread and deep-rooted\u201d within the sport in England and Wales.<\/p>\n
ECB chair Richard Thompson unreservedly apologised when the findings were published in June, making the pledge in a letter to ICEC counterpart Cindy Butts: \u201cWe will use this moment to reset cricket.\u201d<\/p>\n
After 44 key recommendations were advanced, the ECB undertook a three-month consultation process to agree on a path of reforms and will later on today set out its actions to make cricket more inclusive.<\/p>\n
In the interim, the ECB has acted on one of the ICEC\u2019s proposals by announcing the England women\u2019s team would receive the same match fees as the men following a thrilling dual Ashes summer.<\/p>\n
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A fresh \u00a32million investment has also been ring-fenced over the next two and a half years for programmes aimed at engaging black and south Asian communities as well as state-educated children.<\/p>\n
Ebony Rainford-Brent\u2019s African Caribbean Engagement Programme, the South Asian Cricket Academy and the MCC Foundation join long-term partners Chance to Shine and Lord\u2019s Taverners in sharing the funding.<\/p>\n
Among other suggestions put forward by the ICEC are overall equal average pay at domestic level by 2029 and at international level by 2030 and a new regulatory body within 12 months, independent of the ECB.<\/p>\n
Butts said the report highlighted the \u201cstark reality that cricket is not a game for everyone\u201d but expressed confidence in the ECB\u2019s leadership to bring about the change required.<\/p>\n
Among those to give evidence to the ICEC\u2019s investigation was England men\u2019s Test captain Ben Stokes, who read out a heartfelt and personally prepared statement on the day of the report\u2019s publication.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am Ben Stokes; born in New Zealand, a state-educated pupil who dropped out of school at 16 with one GCSE in PE,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI needed help with the spelling and grammar in this speech and I am currently sitting here as the England men\u2019s Test captain.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is clear there is so much more the game has to do and as players we really want to be a part of that to ensure this is truly a sport for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Heather Knight, the England women\u2019s captain, said: \u201cIt\u2019s been really sad to hear about anyone that\u2019s not felt welcome in our game \u2013 nobody should be made to feel unwelcome in our sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a really important step for cricket, and cricket \u2013 having done this report \u2013 can really lead the way in terms of being more equitable, more diverse and more inclusive.\u201d<\/p>\n