In light of the damning Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report, with racism, sexism, elitism and class-based discrimination found “deeply rooted” into the sport, England captain Ben Stokes said the sport should be enjoyed “without fear of discrimination or judgement”.
“Just before I go, I want to make it clear I have not read the report as it only came out last night,” Stokes said on the eve of the second Ashes Test match at Lord’s.
“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 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.
“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.
“As I said earlier 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.
Ben Stokes of England reads a statement during a press conference— (Getty Images)
“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 that this is truly a sport for everyone.”
Stokes’ journey to the top of the cricketing pyramid is far from typical.
And, in the 317-word report, the ICEC found that in 2021, 58% of England men’s players were privately educated, in line with 2012 when the figure was 57%.
Just 7 percent of the general population attend a private school, and while the issues do not stop there, a player of Stokes’ background is not the majority in the England team.
