Rainford-Brent appointed to ECB Board

By Rodney Hinds

WORLD CUP-winning England cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE and sports development expert Pete Ackerley have been appointed to the ECB Board as Cricket Non-Executive Directors.

Ebony won the ICC Women’s World Cup and the ICC World T20 with England in 2009, playing 22 One Day Internationals and seven IT20 matches for her country. She was Director of Women’s Cricket for Surrey County Cricket Club until 2022 and founded the successful African-Caribbean Engage- ment (ACE) Programme, creating opportunities for young cricketers from Black communities. She is also a popular broadcaster.

Richard Thompson, ECB Chair, said: “Ebony is a unique talent, a trailblazer who was a winner on the pitch and has achieved so much off it.”

My own generation was influenced to a certain extent to be stoic and to endure unfair treatment, but something changed after George Floyd’s murder. All over the world, people of all races have drawn a line and are no longer afraid to speak out and fight for justice for a human being who lost his life because of the colour of his skin. The integration of races, talents, and skills present in all communities is contributing to a richness of culture that is breaking down barriers.

In cricket, it’s no secret that the number of Black players has declined in England and Wales since 2000. But programmes such as ACE – set up by Surrey County Cricket Club and backed by the ECB – are leading the way in reversing the trend. This, alongside efforts from everyone in cricket to better understand Black lived experiences in the UK, is crucial to the future of the game. We must do all we can to ensure the Windrush migrants’ powerful legacy survives in the sport, and Windrush 75 gives us a brilliant way of doing that.