Concerns Over Inclusivity in Disability Cricket
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) faces criticism for reducing inclusivity in disability cricket after its decision to combine three England teams into a single mixed disability team. As a result, numerous players have already resigned in protest.
In June and July, England will host its first-ever pan-disability international series against India, which welcomes athletes with diverse disabilities. This new format resembles England’s domestic Disability Premier League by uniting the existing Physical Disability (PD), Learning Disability (LD), and Deaf teams into one entity.
However, players are worried that this restructuring could limit opportunities for disabled cricketers at the elite level, potentially favoring the more capable players. Two deaf athletes have already opted out of selection following the announcement of these changes in December, citing a lack of consultation.
Liam Thomas, a former wicketkeeper for the England PD team who retired in January, expressed mixed feelings about the changes. While he acknowledged excitement around the possibility of playing an international match at Lord’s during the pan-disability series, he pointed out significant concerns regarding how the new setup would impact communication and opportunities for players with various disabilities.
Thomas noted, “In theory, it works,” highlighting the logistical advantages, but he also raised doubts about communication methods and the representation of different impairments on the team. A deaf cricketer criticized the ECB’s efforts to introduce sign language training, describing it as inadequate and a reduction of British Sign Language to a mere formality.
Despite the ECB’s aim to promote international disability teams and potentially establish a Disability World Cup, many players are skeptical, especially given that no other nation is currently playing pan-disability cricket. A player commented that the ECB’s approach seems somewhat colonial, assuming a leadership role despite the thriving nature of deaf cricket internationally.
In response to the criticisms, an ECB spokesperson expressed disappointment regarding the experiences shared by players in the Disability Premier League. The spokesperson emphasized their commitment to ensuring inclusion training for all impairment groups and stated that while exciting, the merging of different impairment groups presents challenges that they are seeking to address to foster an inclusive environment.
