In an open letter to ECB chair Richard Thompson, Butts - the chair of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) - said that cricket has "largely been run by, and for, the benefit of a small minority"
Cindy Butts has called for "a fundamental shift in culture throughout cricket" and implored the ECB to be bold in allocating resources to tackle the sport's inclusion issues.
In an open letter to ECB chair Richard Thompson, Butts - the chair of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) - said that cricket has "largely been run by, and for, the benefit of a small minority".
ICEC's report, published about a month ago, provided a damning assessment of the sport's record on inclusion and provided numerous examples of sexism, racism and classism. Among its 44 recommendations were some requiring significant investment from the ECB.
Now, responding to the ECB's initial welcome of the report, Butts has acknowledged the sport's financial challenges but urged the ECB not to neglect inclusion issues because of funding concerns.
The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket panel [supplied]
"One key challenge is that there must be a fundamental shift in culture throughout cricket," Butts wrote. "People at every level of the game need to recognise that up to now, it has largely been run by, and for, the benefit of a small minority; instead, what's needed now is an open, transparent and above all inclusive attitude, where everyone who wants to play, work in or watch the game is valued, respected and treated fairly.
"When developing our recommendations, we were well aware that they would require significant resources, at a time when cricket in England and Wales is facing financial challenges - some common to other sectors and some unique to cricket.
"But we believe that the issues we highlighted are too important to be put on the back burner for lack of money. As you and colleagues have recognised, discrimination and lack of inclusion in cricket represent an existential crisis for the game.
"Cricket does have significant funds through its broadcast deals - it's a question of how the game chooses to spend them. If ever there was a time to use them to ensure cricket's survival, it must be now.
"As a Commission, we have been ambitious for the game to take the bold steps needed to address barriers to equity in cricket. I hope that the ECB and the game will be equally bold to take what I acknowledge will be challenging decisions about its use of resources, with difficult choices to be made about priorities."
ECB chair Richard Thompson [Getty Images]
Butts also welcomed the "establishment of a high level group of senior people at the ECB to lead the consultation with the wider game about our recommendations". But she reminded Thompson of the need to listen to those "outside the 'mainstream' and, specifically, to representatives of marginalised groups."
Thompson officially acknowledged the ICEC report in an open letter to Butts on June 26.
As well as apologising unreservedly for the experiences of all those who had been excluded by the sport he said the ECB would use the next three months to "build a plan of action". This includes a consultation process led by Clare Connor, with the support of a sub-group of the ECB board including Baroness Zahida Manzoor, Pete Ackerley, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Sir Ron Kalifa, Richard Gould and Thompson.
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