The Cricket Regulator launched to enforce regulations within cricket

Today marks the launch of the Cricket Regulator, the body which will be responsible for monitoring compliance with the game’s regulations, enforcement of adherence to those regulations and providing relevant information and education.

The Cricket Regulator will be overseen by an independent Cricket Regulatory Board, and will be ring-fenced from the rest of the ECB. Areas of work that had previously been in the ECB’s remit will now sit with the Cricket Regulator, including Safeguarding, Integrity (Anti-Corruption, Misconduct, Anti-Doping) and Anti-Discrimination.

The launch of the Cricket Regulator seeks to bring further independence to the regulatory processes within cricket, to give greater assurance around the separation between this area and the remainder of the ECB. It comes as a response to a recommendation from the ICEC Report.

The independent Cricket Regulatory Board, which also begins work today, will have budget authority for the Cricket Regulator and will be accountable for its activity and expenditure. Members of the current ECB Regulatory Committee have become the first Board members, and future Board members will be filled through open recruitment.

Dave Lewis has been appointed as Interim Director of the Cricket Regulator. Lewis spent 30 years as a police officer undertaking a wide variety of roles including Senior Investigating Officer, Head of Criminal Justice, Head of Local Policing, and Regional ACC leading serious organised crime and counter-terrorism policing in the South-West. He was also National Police Chief’s Council lead for ethics, and retired as Deputy Chief Constable of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall in October 2020.

Lewis has been tasked with setting up the Cricket Regulator, and his permanent successor will be appointed in 2024 through open recruitment. As Interim Director of the Cricket Regulator, Lewis will report into Nic Coward – chair of the Cricket Regulatory Board.

When a case is brought to the Cricket Regulator, the Cricket Regulator will undertake an investigation before making a decision whether there is sufficient evidence to put the case to the Cricket Discipline Commission. As stated in the ECB’s response to the ICEC Report, the Cricket Discipline Commission will be re-purposed as the Cricket Discipline Panel in 2024.

ECB Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould said: “It is important that the game has the best processes in place in order to enforce regulations. The ICEC Report recommended that we introduce further independence to the game’s regulatory process and the Cricket Regulator overseen by an independent Cricket Regulatory Board will do that.

“The Cricket Regulator is ring-fenced from the ECB, and that separation will ensure that their work is distinct from our work as the game’s promoter.”

Dave Lewis, Interim Director of the Cricket Regulator, said: “The Cricket Regulator will cover a wide range of matters on which the game has set clear standards, including anti-discrimination. The team and I are clear about the importance of meeting high standards in ensuring people across the game know what is expected of them, and having the best procedures in place, to protect and promote the good of the game, and everyone involved.”