I have been fortunate to work in many countries, in my capacity as a doctor, then as the Founder and CEO of a charity in Afghanistan, and now as Director of the MCC Foundation. Cricket has been a popular sport in almost every country I have been to and what I notice and love is that, however disadvantaged a child may be, whatever background they come from - and some are living in the harshest environments, be it refugee camps in Lebanon or in camps on the Burundian border of Rwanda, poor villages in Afghanistan and Nepal, slums in India, townships in South Africa - these youngsters believe that cricket is a game for them. They dream of playing for their national sides. There are thousands of leg spin bowlers in Afghanistan because they worship Rashid Khan. Many kids fashion their own bats from bits of wood; thousands play in the streets. In Lebanon, Syrian refugee girls play cricket alongside the boys, and some are now coaching the boys too, breaking down any concept of cricket as a male-dominated game.
Yet back at home in the UK, I feel we have a long way to go before young people from all backgrounds feel that cricket can be for them. It still seems, in the eyes of many and as witnessed in Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams, that cricket is seen as a game for the privileged few and can sometimes be perceived as a male-dominated sport.
So, at MCC Foundation, we live and work to change that perception in the UK, to diversify the talent pathway, to break down barriers to access, to help young players on their cricket journey, to put in place the building blocks so that they too can dream of playing at county or national level. Even if they don’t attain that, they will play in clubs, or join in street cricket programmes, but whatever the outcome, they will develop a life-long love of the game and all the benefits that brings.
Overseas, we support the grassroots game, helping to bridge the gap between grassroots and the professional game, and harness the power of cricket to develop transformational social impact projects. Cricket for Good is the theme that links all these projects together. We are seeing an impact beyond our wildest dreams, with young beneficiaries now playing in national sides, girls being able to fund their education and their families through coaching cricket, and societal change in rural areas of Nepal - where girls never played cricket before and are now thriving in the sport. We work in Nepal, Lebanon, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Sri Lanka and have ambitious plans for other areas in the future. We support refugees through cricket globally, helping them with employment opportunities, integration, and recovery from trauma. The greatest reward is the joy it brings to so many.
The MCCF’s National Hub Programme in the UK is undergoing a rapid expansion, having received funding from ECB and MCC in 2024, and with an ambitious fundraising strategy of its own. Next year, it will offer free to access coaching and match play to more than 6,000 state educated boys and girls aged 11-16 at 160 Hubs across the UK. It is a hard-ball programme, helping players to fulfil their potential and thrive in the game. Many come from Chance to Shine primary school initiatives or Street programmes or from ECB programmes like Dynamos. They have started their cricket journey, and we are there to support them with building up their confidence and skills. We want to narrow that gap between the offering for those in private schools and those in the state sector.
We run an inspiring competition each year between all our Hubs, with the finals played on the Main Ground at Lord’s. What a day that is - families and friends in the Pavilion, the full player offering with use of the Players’ Dressing Rooms and Players’ Dining Room, walking through the Long Room and out onto the hallowed turf, all livestreamed and creating a day never to be forgotten!
In the last 2 years, 400 of our players have made it onto the talent pathway. We run extra sessions in the build-up to county trials for the most talented players and give all our youngsters as much match play experience as possible. We make sure they have kit and help with bus fares and other transport if needed. We continuously learn and adapt to try to break down all the barriers faced by young players and do so by working in partnership with the excellent county clubs and foundations up and down the country.
We are excited by our role and ambition to make cricket a game for all and know the power of the sport to unite communities, build confidence and friendship, inspire young people and transform lives. Above all it brings much-needed joy to young people facing an uncertain world. We have an aim to deliver 300 Hubs for 10,000 young players, with Hubs in every county, reaching the most under-served communities. We just need the funding and are working flat out to fulfil this goal so, we are delighted to have the opportunity to raise awareness and funds at the ENG v AUS Men’s ODI at Lord’s.