Ben Stokes stood squarely behind the ICEC report into discrimination in cricket and declared his desire to lead the players in making the game more inclusive.
The New Zealand born skipper proudly introduced himself as a product of the state school sector who has risen to the top job in the game. But just as the presence of Moeen Ali or Jofra Archer doesn’t indicate a diverse utopia, Stokes appreciates the game must do more to appeal to and attract players like him.
In a prepared statement Stokes said: “To the people involved in the game who have been made to feel unwelcome or unaccepted in the past, I am deeply sorry to hear of your experiences.
“Cricket is a game that needs to celebrate diversity on all fronts because without diversity, this game would not be where it is at today.
“As a sport, we need to learn from past mistakes and do all we can to make people feel safe and be themselves at every level.
“I have been an England player since 2011 and I feel very fortunate to have been a part of some incredibly diverse teams and love how everyone has a different story to tell.
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“We must go further and be more inclusive and diverse because the game I love – and millions worldwide love - should be enjoyed without fear of discrimination or judgement whether that be due to your upbringing, race or gender.
“Everyone has a different story to tell. I am Ben Stokes, born in New Zealand, a state educated pupil who dropped out of school at 16 with one GCSE in PE. I needed help with the spelling and grammar in this speech and I am currently sitting here as the England men's Test captain.
“It 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.”
Reaction flowed in from across the cricketing family as the powerful words of the report started to be digested and understood.
The ACE Programme, Chance to Shine and The Lord’s Taverners are three cricketing charities actively trying to solve some of the problems described by the ICEC report.
Together they said: “The ICEC report has highlighted the unacceptable issues that cricket must address. The time has come for cricket to learn, listen and unite and we look forward to working alongside the wider game to grow the reach of our life-changing programmes.”
The key to any progress though remains the influence of those with power and as one of the game’s strongest voices, former England captain Andrew Strauss is clear what the reaction to the report must be.
“This is a real time of awakening for the game of cricket,” he said “The clear takeaway is the game has to do better, has to move forward and not be defensive.
“We have to make sure anyone who wants to play cricket feels included, welcomed and appreciated. If we get to that stage the game of cricket will be in a much healthier place. It's an important moment for the game to embrace this, learn the lesson, don't pay lip service to it and make sure what we see at the back end is actual change.”
With the report landing just days after the 75th anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush's arrival at Tilbury Docks bringing a Caribbean workforce and community to England to help rebuild the country following the ravages of the second World War the verdict is a particularly painful read.
The African Caribbean Cricket Council, led by former England bowler Devon Malcolm and Professor Kevin Hylton said: "The ACCC welcomes the ICEC report. They are in agreement with ICEC report findings that there has been a blind-spot by ECB and key stakeholders regarding the development of African-Caribbean cricket.
"These issues are further exacerbated when we consider how race, gender and class intersect to make cricket less welcoming for African Caribbeans. The ACCC will be working closely with key stakeholders in cricket to ensure a transparent and responsible approach is taken to the issues raised by ICEC.
"And to make cricket more welcoming and progressive for those from the African Caribbean communities interested in playing, officiating and leading at all levels."
