"Absolutely amazing": MCC Community Champion Duncan Holden rings bell at Lord's

Holden, who was recognised for his 15-year commitment to rebuilding Stoke Newington CC in Hackney, was the guest of honour for England's second ODI against India

The champion of cricket on Hackney Marshes rang the ball at Lord's as part of his prize today and said it was "fantastic".

Duncan Holden scooped the MCC/The Cricketer Community Champion award for 2022, and was a special guest at the famous old ground for the England v India ODI.

"It was fantastic, absolutely amazing," said Holden, who has helped build Stoke Newington CC up over a 15-year period.

"There has always been a pent-up demand for cricket in Hackney, it just needed the facilities to play on, and an organised structure for that passion to come through.

^{Holden was guest of honour at Lord's for the second ODI between England and India [Dan Mullan/Getty Images]}

"There's been a long-term developmental partnership between Hackney Council, Middlesex CCC and the ECB. They built the pavilion, restored the pitches, and it was up to us to ensure the facilities were used to the absolute max, and they are.

"When you come on to Hackney Marshes on a Saturday morning, you will see 250 kids out there at training, and five or six junior matches. Then come the handover at lunchtime, the youngsters come off, eat their burgers and chips in the cafe, and five or six senior matches begin. There's non-stop cricket from 9am to 8pm at night.

"Twenty years ago if you wanted organised cricket back then you had to leave the borough, and not everyone is able to do that. So we have put in place for facilities, and a local community club rooted into its community to cater for all the pent-up demand for cricket in Hackney.

Holden was nominated by his club-mate Tom Tanner, who was also at Lord's.

Previous winners of our award were Julia Farman (2017), Chris Mainstone (2018), John Reeve (2019) and Caroline Carter (2021). The award did not run in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Main image courtesy of MCC

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• Hackney Marshes pioneer Duncan Holden scoops MCC Community Champion prize