2026 Business of Cricket Awards celebrate the best of county cricket

The annual Business of Cricket Awards (BOCAs), held at the Kia Oval on Thursday 12 November, celebrated a summer of excellence across the First-Class Counties, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and The Hundred, whilst recognising the key contributions of those behind the scenes.

Lancashire County Cricket Club stole the headlines this year, taking home three awards, while Somerset claimed two titles and ten other counties were also recognised. The broad spread of winners this year showcased the exceptional talent, innovation and hard work across the whole professional game.

Lancashire claimed the Best Development or New Facility Over £500K award for its new purpose-built cricket facility, which successfully blends the needs of both elite and grassroots cricket. The Red Rose also won the Welcoming & Inclusive Stadia award in recognition of its outstanding customer experience, while its success in engaging supporters was further reflected in winning the Tickets & Membership Sales and Marketing Campaign of the Year award.

The Best Development or New Facility Under £500K award went to Worcestershire, which demonstrated that heritage and commercial growth can go hand in hand as they transformed New Road’s historic scoreboard into a new club shop.

Somerset CCC won Sponsorship of the Year for its innovative partnership, demonstrating how supporter-first activation can turn fan engagement into measurable commercial impact. The club also shared the Best Women’s International Spectator Experience award with Durham County Cricket Club, recognising excellence in delivering memorable matchday experiences for fans.

Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club claimed the Best Men’s International Spectator Experience award, retaining their title from last year.

Surrey took home the 2026 Communications Campaign of the Year award for its ‘Work From the Oval’ initiative, which judges praised as a “campaign that made red-ball cricket more relevant to modern working life”.

Middlesex retained the Best Use of Social Media title, utilising a mix of long- and short-form content to drive audience engagement.

The Community Engagement Campaign of the Year award was presented to Sussex for its Breaking Boundaries campaign, which aims to widen access to the game.

After attracting more than 30,600 spectators to women's matches and building strong fan engagement, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club won the Transforming the Women's Game award. Judges described the submission as a “super entry that used the World Cup as a launchpad”.

The Raising the Game - Most Inclusive Sport Award was won by Warwickshire for its innovative partnership with GiveVision, which transformed the live cricket experience for people with sight loss. Judges noted that the “impact for each person who used the GiveVision tech was huge”.

Best Sustainability Initiative went to Marylebone Cricket Club for its ‘Batting for a Better Future’ programme, which brought together a range of environmental initiatives and created a clear pathway to achieving net zero by 2030.

Glamorgan CCC was recognised for the Best Domestic Spectator Experience, while Trent Rockets topped the category for Best Hundred Spectator Experience.

At just 25, Bea Cain has emerged as one of Lancashire Cricket’s most promising future leaders, driving major ticketing successes and leading standout marketing campaigns. Her achievements were recognised with the Rising Star Award.

Warwickshire County Cricket Club celebrated Errol Simms as the Dinesh Patel MVP. Simms, Warwickshire’s Cricket Centre Manager, was praised for his “unwavering commitment to helping others” and for doing so in a “positive and welcoming manner”.

Tanya Nicholls of Kent County Cricket Club received the Values Champion award for her work as Events & Venue Manager.

Described as an “unsung hero”, Nicholls played a major role in delivering Kent Cricket’s annual Pride Match, highlighting her dedication to inclusion and commitment to creating a welcoming environment for all.

Before the awards were brought to a close, there was a celebration of one final person. At 80 years old, Glamorgan’s Dressing Room Attendant, Roger Skyrme, was honoured for his ongoing 20 years of service. Described as “going above and beyond” and “doing it all with a smile”, the stalwart of the Welsh county received warm applause. 

2026 Award Winners List