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PRELIMINARY RESEARCH FINDINGS
1. Across all regions of England and Wales British South Asian cricketers are over-represented within elite talent pathways (U10-U19)
2. However, British South Asian male cricketers become significantly under-represented within professional cricket in England and Wales.
3. 30% of recreational cricketers in England and Wales are British South Asian, whereas British South Asian representation drops considerably to 5% within professional male cricket.
KEY STATISTICS:
4%
British South Asian Coaches (Academy Director or above)
< 5%
British South Asian representation in male professional cricket
3x
Number of times White British players are more likely to convert to professional status that BSA players
~ 34x
Number of times white privately educated players are more likely to play professional cricket than British South Asian state-educated players
62%
Contracted players who are released before the age of 25
(Warwickshire CCC case study)
89%
Regions in England whereby BSA players experience a reverse effect
THEORETICAL OVERVIEW:
Researchers who have analysed the racial demographic of cricket in England and Wales, such as Burdsey 2011, Fletcher 2010-2020 & Hylton 2008-2020, have all reached the same conclusion; that an exposition of manifestations of racial microaggressions, the effects of a colour-blind ideology and blatant white hegemonic dominance within English men’s first-class cricket, are examples which highlight that the struggle for racial inequality is far from over.
“Call for action” - Acknowledgment that racism exists at the centre of sport not at its periphery requires concrete action rather than vague promises (Hylton 2010) with which professional sport is still largely extremely uncomfortable (Burdsey, 2011).
“Colour-blind ideology” – A colour-blind ideology is so entrenched and pervasive in contemporary Western sport that its (re)production is not exclusively the preserve of white groups. In fact, it has the capacity to compel minority ethnic participants at times to endorse dominant claims that the effects of racism are overstated (Burdsey, 2011).
“Lack of role models” - The subsequent lack of South Asian role models in visible positions was viewed to be an insidious problem that had a range of interrelated impacts on young South Asians in particular…in the main, it was suggested that South Asian cricketers would take confidence from South Asians having greater representation within coaching. In other words, having South Asians in coaching positions would reinforce an inclusive ideology within cricket (Fletcher et al., 2014).
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