The 2024 season sees another opportunity for the brilliant volunteers at the heart of recreational cricket to be celebrated.
The annual Cricket Collective Awards are a chance to say thank you to the volunteers that your club and community could not do without. There are a variety of categories up for grabs so that everyone – from the longest-serving club member to the young person who is just establishing themselves – can be recognised.
We are delighted to announce that this year’s awards will include a brand new category sponsored by Metro Bank: The Metro Bank Champion of Girls’ Cricket.
Cricket Boards in England and Wales have already begun collecting nominations for this season. For more information on how you can nominate in your local area, check out your Cricket Board’s website or contact them for more details. Contact details for all Cricket Boards can be found here.
First-Class Counties and National Counties oversee their awards process from now until the end of November, with award winners announced at local events and on County social media channels. National award winners will then be selected from across those who have won County awards and will be announced this winter.
Last year, we awarded 11 National Cricket Collective Winners. This year, we will be celebrating more volunteers than ever before with 15 categories available. In addition to the new Metro Bank Champion of Girls’ Cricket Award, The Cricket Collective Awards will also include the ECB Coach Awards, namely Coach of the Year, Young Coach of the Year, and Outstanding Contribution – Services to Coaching.
Cricket Boards oversee the county awards throughout the season, with local winners being submitted for the National Cricket Collective Awards. Winners for the national awards will be announced in winter 2024.
To find out how to nominate those fantastic volunteers making a difference in your community, contact your local Cricket Board. Full contact details can be found here.
Find out more about last year’s winners here.
A full list of all national award categories can be found below:
Connecting Communities
A club or community organisation which has gone above and beyond to #raisethegame and support communities/groups.
Inspired to Play
An individual or group within your club or community organisation going above and beyond to #raisethegame and open the game up to new audiences.
Growing the Game
A league volunteer, committee member, or administrator going above and beyond to support clubs and help increase the number of games played.
Lifetime Achiever
That one individual who has given many years of service to your club or community group and who you could not do without.
Cricket Innovators
Someone who has brought new ideas and/or implemented new systems to improve your club or community group.
Unsung Hero
Those heroes who impact our game from behind-the-scenes and help us make cricket happen.
Rising Star Award
A young volunteer making a difference in the game (for 11-16-year-olds).
Game Changer
A young volunteer making a difference in the game (for 17-25-year-olds).
Safe Hands Award
An individual that has gone above and beyond to create a positive and inclusive environment for young people to enjoy the game.
Volunteer Grounds Management Team of the Year
An opportunity to reward and recognise those volunteers who are working hard and improving the places where the game is played.
Tackling Climate Change
A club or community organisation that is addressing the threat climate change poses to cricket, by making sustainable changes to operations, adapting their facilities and/or engaging and educating their local community.
The Metro Bank Champion of Girls’ Cricket
A volunteer, coach or role model who has championed growing girls’ cricket at their club.
Young Coach of the Year
A young person who is already passing on their enthusiasm for the game and inspiring the next generation of players (16-25-year-olds).
Coach of the Year
A coach who goes the extra mile and is a true coaching hero to their club, league, county or school.
Outstanding Contribution – Services to Coaching
This person is the life and soul at your club, in your league, your county or at your school, coaching and making a difference to players.