Cricket Research Network

Today I was at Hughes Hall, Cambridge by the iconic Fenner’s Ground at the 3rd Cricket Research Network conference. My head is buzzing from information overload & a fabulous mix of talks & people. Thank you to Raf Nicholson & Jeremy Lonsdale & others for all their brilliant work 🙌

Fenners cricket ground, with the sun shining.

And that’s a wrap on #CRN2026

I’m shattered but my brain is buzzing with thoughts and ideas after so many great presentations today!

Safe journey home, everyone, and hope to see you all next year 🏏

The last presentation this year was by
@sross52055.bsky.social @pennstateuniv.bsky.social, who brought all conversations together wonderfully by presenting a historical and future-looking overview of governance reforms in cricket! #ICC #CRN2026

Next, @shubhamjain224.bsky.social asked the hard questions in re cricket #ClimateCrisis #ClimateJustice & the social mobility myth, situating his work in South Asia @thenexttest.org @playthegame-org.bsky.social @bestcricstories.bsky.social @cambridgelaw.bsky.social #CRN2026 @caiuscollege.bsky.social

Another striking presentation on cricket & betting by
@stevemenary.bsky.social whose latest research finds that illegal betting sponsorship in cricket has doubled between 2021 and 2025 @playthegame-org.bsky.social @bestcricstories.bsky.social @thecricketer.com #CRN2026

#Panel5, the last of this year, brings to the conversation to improtant topics of governance and sustainability, chaired by
@rafnicholson.bsky.social @bournemouthuni.bsky.social
@theguardian.com #CRN2026

Powerpoint slide: Cricket, climate justice & South Asian paradox “we can change as per the temperature – our body is wonderful” ”one or two degrees of temperature change doesn’t matter, it is all in the mind. You need to be strong to be in the field all day” extreme heat and erratic monsoons are “tests of resilience”, “badge of honour” and “rite of passage”

@shubhamjain224.bsky.social argues that cricket's "South Asian Paradox" - whereby players do not want to speak out because competition for places is so strong - is having a negative impact on player welfare. Nobody wants to complain about poor air quality or other environmental issues. #CRN2026

Powerpoint slide with a tweet from illegal betting company Babu88, announcing their sponsorship of England's tour of Sri Lanka. Brook is pictured trying to ground his bat, with the betting sponsors visible on the advertising hoardings in the background.

Our final #CRN2026 panel is focused on Governance and Sustainability.

@stevemenary.bsky.social shares worrying findings about illegal betting sponsorship, which doubled between 2021 and 2025.

Harry Brook, Steve argues, is (inadvertently) helping to promote illegal betting in the screenshot below.

Katy Perry during the 2020 T20 World Cup final, dressed in pink, with dancing pink and purple cricket bats.

Remember this?

Hannah Thompson-Radford at #CRN2026 gives us food for thought about whether Katy Perry performing at the T20 World Cup final was empowering, or whether this kind of 'hyperfeminisation' was actually just reductive / ‘gimmicky’.

The panel concluded with a discussion on the hyperfeminisation of the #ICC Women's #T20WC 2020 - 'pinking up as a gender spectacle.' by Hannah Thompson-Radford #CRN2026
@swanseauni.bsky.social @lborouniversity.bsky.social

The middle presentation was by the indomitable
@rlwjones.bsky.social, who illustrated how cricket’s place in the sports news agenda has been declining
@salforduni.bsky.social #CRN2026
@bbcsportbot.bsky.social @bbctmsbot.bsky.social @bestcricstories.bsky.social @crickether.com

The panel started with Rod Edmund
@UniKent narrating the many stories in and of cricket, leaving with 'cricket and #climate' as a story yet to be told
@thenexttest.org @shubhamjain224.bsky.social #CRN2026

#Panel4 is devoted to representations of cricket, chaired by
Dominic Malcolm @lborouniversity.bsky.social #CRN2026

a cricket game is being played on a field with a referee wearing a emirates shirt ALT: a cricket game is being played on a field with a referee wearing a emirates shirt

Some quite depressing findings from Richard Jones about cricket’s place in the sports news agenda, showing its decline.

His analysis of regional press, national radio & X posts suggests cricket is disappearing from some commercial media, and is heavily reliant on the BBC for prominence. #CRN2026

Powepoint slide: Why cricket fandom matters - Using Irish cricket to demonstrate the need for a new research agenda in sport fan studies.

And Kieran Holly talks about Irish cricket fandom.

His key conclusion is Irish men's cricket lacks a distinctive fan identity, partly b/c there is no permanent stadium & limited fixtures v major Test nations.

Would be fascinating to see an equivalent study of Irish women's cricket fandom. #CRN2026

Powerpoint slide: Volunteering among Ethnically Diverse Communities in English Cricket, with photos of coaches.

Following a delicious lunch, we've moved onto a panel about Inclusion.

Ross Ensor presents data showing that ethnically diverse volunteers face issues with racialised stereotypes ("they don't volunteer"), and cultures which force players to adopt a "white mask" to negotiate inclusion. #CRN2026

The panel concluded with a fantastic presentation by
@kieranholly.bsky.social on why cricket fandom matters, with a specific focus on Irish Cricket! @cricketireland.ie
#CRN2026 @huddersfielduni.bsky.social

This was followed by an innovative approach from Prof Adeela Shafi @uniofglos.bsky.social who presented her work on how #AI driven bias resistant talent intelligence can transform the game #CRN2026

The first presentation saw Ross Ensor @leedsbeckett.bsky.social provide a masterclass on volunteering among ethnically diverse communities #CRN2026

#Panel3 focuses on cricket and inclusion, chaired by
Tom Fletcher @leedsbeckett.bsky.social #CRN2026

The Q&A was recorded and will be made available as a podcast via the @bssh.bsky.social podcast, so keep an eye out for that in the coming days! #CRN2026

Our Keynote panel focused on the #ICC Women's #T20WC2026, involving Laura Entwistle, Laura MacLeod & @rafnicholson.bsky.social moderated by Tanya Aldred. Fantastic conversation touching on legacy, pathways, counties, media, governance and hope for the game! @sportinhistorypod.bsky.social #CRN2026

The last presentation, a triple act by Fiona Reid, Susan Warren & @rafnicholson.bsky.social on the fascinating story of women's cricket in #Scotland & the #Cambridge influence #CRN2026 @hugheshall.bsky.social

Followed up by a discussion closer to home, a presentation on local Cambridge cricket and its various iterations by Tony Watts @stcatharines.bsky.social #CRN2026

First presentation by Anand Rampersad (Uni WI) who presented a critical overview of the issues and challenges in re the #WestIndies women's cricket team #CRN2026
@crickether.com

#Panel2 focuses on cricket from a historical perspective, chaired by @jeremylonsdale.bsky.social
#CRN2026

WICB/WICF Merger / Integration / Takeover?

Panel 2 at #CRN2026 starts with Anand Rampersad (University of West Indies), who is working on the history of West Indies women’s cricket (hurrah!)

Same old story in terms of the "merger" of women's & men's boards in 2008. Men very reluctant to accept responsibility, women's autonomy lost. Sigh.

Powerpoint slide: Group Charisma and Group Disgrace: Chinese female players: possess ‘group charisma’ as capable of: a) ‘defeating good associate nations such as Nepal and Thailand’ ; and b) demonstrating ‘medal-winning potential’ (Interviewee A, Chinese female player & coach) Chinese male players, on the other hand, possess ‘group disgrace’ stemming from international incompetence — ‘they never win a single match in the Asian Games’ (Interviewee B, Chinese female player) Consequences: resources tilted toward women's cricket (more turf practice, overseas training); official reports often refer to ‘Chinese team’ as women’s squad, while the men are specifically labelled “Chinese Men’s Cricket Team".

Chuckles in the room as Max He (Xi’an Jiaotong University) explains the Chinese women's team is institutionally prioritised over men’s, and a female cricketer in an interview told him she felt better after a loss when "a teammate told me, 'it’s alright, men cannot win a single game'". #CRN2026

Quote from an interviewee: "At [franchise], the men's team were getting food and we weren't. They were having their dinner cooked for them every night for free and we were going out or getting delivery. There was food in the team room, but it wasn't for us, it was for the men."

Our 1st panel at #CRN2026 is on Gender. Two brilliant presentations first up centring on lived experience of female cricketers in franchise comps, including The Hundred.

Huge contrast between hype of "equality" & persistent disparities in Georgia Norman's interviews with players. I gasped at this!

The last presentation in this panel is a discussion on state feminism, olympic status and gender relations in Chinese cricket delivered by Max He @lborouniversity.bsky.social #IOC #CRN2026