ECB invest in ACE programme to create more opportunities for Black cricketers

Financial support from the ECB will enable ACE to expand its work into Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds and several London boroughs

The England and Wales Cricket Board will support the expansion of the ACE programme to create more opportunities for cricketers from Black communities across the country.

ACE was established by Surrey CCC in 2020 in response to the 75 per cent decline in Black British professional cricketers. Black cricketers also make up less than one per cent of recreational players.

Now an independent charity, it aims to engage children and young people in both the recreational game and talent pathways.

In 2021, the charity was successfully expanded to Birmingham and Bristol, the latter with the support from Royal London.

To date, ACE has created opportunities for over 6,000 young people.

^{ACE chair Ebony Rainford-Brent [Stu Forster/Getty Images]}

Financial support from the ECB will now be used to expand the programme into Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds and several London Boroughs and develop grassroots cricket and talent identification systems in these areas. 

Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Middlesex, Kent and Essex CCCs will all be involved in the expansion. 

The ECB will also fund a national operations manager role at ACE to support the expansion.

Over 10,000 young cricketers are expected to pass through ACE's talent ID programme each year in the new areas while over 40,000 children are due to participate in ACE school schemes annually.

ACE chair, Ebony Rainford-Brent, said: "This is a really significant moment for ACE. Although we started small in south London, we always envisaged this programme was going to have a big national impact. To be in six cities and on both sides of the Thames in London within two years of existence proves that our model is starting to change the game.

"ACE is focused on connecting the dots to help underrepresented groups from the grassroots to the elite. We know this programme will help open up new pathways to do exactly that and are excited to partner with the teams at all these different counties to have an impact.

"We're really grateful to the ECB for this meaningful support, allowing us to build on our initial backing from Sport England and start taking ACE to the next level – a truly national organisation."

^{ECB managing director of women's cricket, Clare Connor [Nathan Stirk/Getty Images]}

ECB managing director of women's cricket, Clare Connor, added: "The team at ACE are doing brilliant work creating opportunities for young people from Black communities to play cricket and develop their talent.

"After their early impact in south London, Bristol and Birmingham, we are really excited to be helping ACE to increase access to cricket in more urban centres across the country. We know that targeted opportunities and support are vitally important in making cricket a game for everyone and ensuring that every young cricketer can fulfil their potential."

In addition to their support of ACE, the ECB are unveiling a range of actions to tackle racism and promote diversity in the game, including expanding their Community Talent Champion programme, providing more than 3,000 bursaries to help people from underrepresented groups become cricket coaches, and providing £1 million of financial support for young people in talent pathways.