I have got to know and admire both Azeem Rafiq (@AzeemRafiq30) and George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) in recent years. It always struck me that Azeem had already suffered unimaginable personal loss, and more imaginable Racism so when he courageously spoke out there may have been a sense in others minds that he had “nothing to lose”, although he patently has and continues to do so. George on the other hand had a lot to lose by voicing his support for Azeeem, which he has and I know will continue too, which bemused many.
I look forward to their upcoming book, but not to the inevitable trolling and hatred.
This idiom means that you should try to understand someone before criticising them
Walk A Mile In My Shoes
I have not walked a mile in their shoes, but I have tried them on, since my return to the UK in 2019 and my subsequent return to cricket in 2020.
It has not been particularly comfortable at times. Please don’t get me wrong, my life is good and certainly much as I want it but since returning to the UK and Cricket in particular I have been taking a rather keen interest in what exactly diversity and inclusivity means. Azeem was spot on when he said that crickets problems were societies problems.
In my own (very minor case) I have found that people struggle with my age, the fact that on a day to day basis I am not really a drinker (most certainly have been in the past and still enjoy a day out from time to time), and that through a combination largely of personality but also circumstance I really am not a club/belonging person.
To cut to the chase my experience is that in this country ‘we’ are welcoming if you want to come and ‘do what we do’. The simple truth is that as I approach 60 I feel far from comfortable with the amount of drinking, banter and cliques within the game. I hesitate to say this because I have certainly done my fair share of drinking in the past, have a rather long list of less than exemplary behaviour in my kit bag, and am far from being a sociable person and have a strong desire to NOT be in the same company time after time. That said we are all entitled to be ourselves and should nor be forced into being a version of of ourselves we are not comfortable with. I look at the high level of alcohol consumption, language and banter around cricket and ask myself why people are surprised so many don’t want to get involved.
People will deny and defend this, which is fine, but it is also a reason that things are not changing very much: whilst we can debate we can avoid having to do!
Again, to move the article on, my main conclusion is that in broad terms ‘we’ know what we need to do, don’t really know ‘how’ to do it, and very often it is something the ‘next structure’ will have to address.
As part of a project I am doing with No Boundaries Cricket Club I have been researching various subjects which I believe demonstrate some of the issues:
Social Media: the general trend is to use it to ‘show what we do’ NOT to entice those not involved to get involved.
Selection Process: very much a ‘this is how we have always done it’ with very little research done by clubs as to what would benefit the players in terms of family, religious and other commitments. All very well back in the day when captains checked post match that everyone was available next week, but with multiple teams now the norm, and life far more fluid (working weekends, kids activities, care for elder generations) team selection on a Thursday with notification on a Friday is exclusive rather than inclusive.
Development Cricket is something I have written about many times, and will continue to do so but until clubs embrace the fact that development relates to ALL sexm age and ability it will very much be a ‘production line’ to replenish what you already have.
The current profile of fundraisers and social events obviously work for those that go (and dare I say for those know how to organise them) but what about all the people that they don’t appeal to? Inclusivity is not “you are welcome to come along and do what we do”, maybe try asking “what can we do to make you welcome”.
I have noticed a lot of telling, not much asking, and have received a lot of “this is how we do it” responses to questions and suggestions.
My advice to all is an approach I have used throughout my life: ask what is not working and why, don’t bask in what is working as therein lies stagnation and eventual demise.
In other news I have still not picked up a cricket bat, or done any training. I have not even done any running as I am focussed on stretching out my thighs, hamstrings, hips and shoulder. They all feel better and I certainly feel more positive and am pleased that I decided to ‘stay away’ from watching, talking and thinking about cricket.
Two weeks in and I think I am making good progress but that does not mean that I will be ready to play anytime soon.