• “Cricket has faced the reality of hard truths in recent times,” he wrote. “As we begin to acknowledge and address the issues in front of us, it is obvious we will only be successful if we are a united game.”
• Thompson also insisted he is flexible when it comes to the changes that might be made to the structure of the professional game following the release of a report by a high-performance review, led by Sir Andrew Strauss, in August.
New England and Wales Cricket Board chair Richard Thompson believes cricket can be the UK’s most inclusive sport.
On his first day in the role, the former Surrey chairman, 55, set out his vision for the sport and argued “this is a reset moment for the ECB”.
Azeem Rafiq’s testimony, the high-performance review and developing grassroots cricket were also addressed in Thompson’s statement.
“Cricket has faced the reality of hard truths in recent times,” he wrote. “As we begin to acknowledge and address the issues in front of us, it is obvious we will only be successful if we are a united game.
“I have worked in cricket for a long time and it is my conviction we can be the most inclusive sport in the country – accessible to all regardless of race, gender, class or (dis)ability.”
He added: “The painful testimony of Azeem Rafiq and too many others within cricket must act as a motivator for all of us to listen and learn and to understand how we can be better.
“The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket will play a central part in that process and I expect its findings later this year to be challenging. It is focusing not just on race but also on gender and social background. Its findings must form the basis of constructive proposals that will drive lasting change across the game.”
Thompson also insisted he is flexible when it comes to the changes that might be made to the structure of the professional game following the release of a report by a high-performance review, led by Sir Andrew Strauss, in August.
“I am open-minded about how we can make our game better – both for our England teams and domestic cricket – and hopeful we can build consensus among all stakeholders so that we build a system that works for players, fans and the whole of our sport,” he said.
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