This Black History Month, the African Caribbean Engagement (ACE) Programme marks six years of creating opportunities in cricket for African and Caribbean communities across the UK.
Founded by former England cricketer, World Cup winner, broadcaster and English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) board member Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent, the independent charity was launched in 2020 in response to a 75% decline in Black British professional cricketers.
Initially established through Surrey County Cricket Club, ACE has expanded from its roots in south London to serve communities across the country, including London, Birmingham and Nottingham.
ECB focus on equity in cricket
The work of ACE reflects wider efforts within cricket to improve equity and representation.
In 2024, the ECB published a report examining the state of equity within the sport.
As part of that report, the Ethnically Diverse Communities Action Plan was unveiled, committing to engaging more people from South Asian and African Caribbean communities by focusing investment and resources on major cities across England and Wales.
The strategy is built around three key priorities of celebrating culture, tackling racism and developing the next generation of South Asian and African Caribbean cricketers.
Twenty-one cricket cities located in what the ECB described as “the most ethnically diverse urban areas” were identified for targeted investment.
The Network of Cricket Boards and Foundations pledged £2.3 million between 2025 and 2027 to support the initiative.
The ECB’s action plan stated: “The programme focuses first on listening to local South Asian and Black communities, creating partnerships, and delivering outcomes that work for the community.”
ACE is one of several organisations helping to deliver these objectives and improve access to cricket for African and Caribbean communities across the UK.
ACE’s impact
Since its launch, ACE has reached more than 70,000 participants through schools, counties, academies, community hubs and in-house programmes.
Chevy Green, ACE’s director of programmes and the charity’s first employee, has witnessed its growth firsthand.
He said: “Our coaches have lived experience of being involved in cricket, a space that hasn’t always been welcoming for African Caribbean people.
“They encourage participants to be themselves and create a welcoming environment for them on and off the pitch.”
Green believes the charity’s role extends beyond producing professional cricketers and includes creating opportunities throughout the sport.
He said: “We want more professional cricketers to improve representation on the pitch, but equally we want diversity off the pitch, whether that’s coaches, analysts, people working in finance or in the media.
“There are so many ways for ACE to provide opportunities.”
More than 450 participants have secured places in cricket academies through the programme, while more than 30 current and aspiring coaches have accessed training and education opportunities.
ACE has also produced three professional cricketers in Sussex player Troy Henry, The Blaze fast bowler Amy Wheeler, and Warwickshire and Birmingham Phoenix batter Davina Perrin.
The African Caribbean Cricket Festival
The annual African Caribbean Cricket Festival, held in Beckenham in June, highlighted the continued growth of the game among communities of African and Caribbean heritage.
The event celebrated cricket, culture, music and food, along with bringing together players, families and supporters from across the country.
Among those attending were British-Trinidadian actor Rudolph Walker, best known for playing Patrick Trueman in EastEnders, and former England fast bowler Devon Malcolm, now the ECB’s Black Communities Liaison Officer.
Malcolm praised the ECB’s commitment to increasing engagement with diverse communities.
He said: “The ECB seriously wants to make diverse communities part of the programme.
“This is not a one-off. It’s been going every year, so that’s absolutely great – fantastic to hear.”
Also supporting the event was Roland Butcher, the first Black cricketer to represent England and someone whose presence served as a reminder of the barriers overcome by previous generations.
One player aiming to build on that legacy is ACE ambassador Emilio Gay. The England international, who is of Grenadian heritage through his father, displays an ACE sticker on his bat to promote the charity’s work.
Gay said: “We’ve seen so many talented Afro-Caribbean cricketers – we don’t want to see that legacy die out.
“We want to see that growth continue.”
‘It’s a second family to me’
Seventeen-year-old bowler Ismail Rumjaun is among the young players benefiting from the programme.
Of mixed English and Mauritian heritage, he has attended ACE sessions at the Kia Oval for the past 18 months.
After developing an interest in cricket at the age of 14, Rumjaun chose to leave his role as a goalkeeper in West Ham United’s academy and pursue the sport full-time.
He said: “Since I’ve come to ACE, they’ve welcomed me like a brother.
“It’s a second family to me. If anything goes wrong, I know they’ll support me and help me.”
The programme has provided opportunities for Rumjaun to compete in tournaments both in the UK and the Caribbean, helping him gain valuable experience.
His mother, Sakinah, credited Green and the ACE team with creating a supportive environment in which her son has flourished.
She said: “He’s now playing at Lord’s in the Under-17 squad. He’s playing with ACE and his progression has been amazing.
“He went to Tobago with Surrey and came back as the highest wicket-taker of every country involved. He’s come on leaps and bounds.”
Rumjaun hopes to captain Mauritius in the future and help the country qualify for a Cricket World Cup.
Cricket legacy and future growth
The Caribbean has a rich cricketing heritage, and a love of the sport has been passed down through generations of the diaspora.
England fast bowler and ACE ambassador Jofra Archer, who was born and raised in Barbados before moving to England, is one example of the enduring connection between Caribbean cricket and the English game.
Meanwhile, cricket continues to expand across Africa as Zimbabwe Cricket tannounced this month eight players from Uganda, Nigeria, Rwanda and Tanzania would be given the opportunity to compete in the 2026 National Premier League T20 Blast.
As the sport grows, organisations such as ACE are helping ensure young people from African and Caribbean communities have access to clear pathways into cricket, whether as players, coaches, administrators or media professionals, by combining sporting excellence with cultural understanding and community engagement.
Feature image: aceprogramme.com
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