A new study from York St John University has revealed stark disparities in cricket participation across northern state and private secondary schools.
Over and Out? The report warns that the traditional hardball format of the game is increasingly out of reach for many young working class boys in Yorkshire and across the North.
The study was led by Dr Andrew Scattergood, Course Leader for PE and Sports Coaching at York St John University. He approached schools across the north of England, focusing on those with a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals.
Many of the participating schools were in Yorkshire but responses also came from across the North, from Chester and the Wirral, across to Hartlepool and Newcastle.
The research found that many schools face serious barriers to delivering hardball cricket, including a lack of facilities and equipment, low teacher confidence in delivering and developing the game, and limited access to structured fixtures or links to local clubs.
While more inclusive versions of the game that use a softer version of the ball continue to thrive at primary school age, the findings highlight a significant decline in the teaching and playing of hardball cricket within state secondary schools.
However, the study showed that boys attending fee-paying schools continue to benefit from high-quality indoor facilities, elite coaching, and regular match play.
This, in turn, contributes to their increasing dominance in county and national talent pathways.
The report offers a set of practical recommendations aimed at reversing this decline and widening access to the game:
- Introducing a new ‘harder’ ball format to bridge the gap between soft and hardball cricket and ease progression.
- Providing an accessible and affordable Teachers’ Cricket Course to build teacher confidence and competence in delivering hardball cricket.
- Increasing access to equipment and facilities through targeted funding for state secondary schools.
- Establishing structured transition pathways into the hardball game via well-supported inter-school fixtures and stronger links with local clubs, county set-ups, and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
The report also calls for a renewed long-term commitment to promoting the hardball game in state schools.
Dr Scattergood argues that the widespread success of primary-age cricket initiatives such as Kwik Cricket, All Stars and Dynamos can and should be built upon towards maintaining participation in secondary education.
He said: “We’re increasingly seeing that professional cricket, and the youth talent pathways that feed into it, are dominated by those who are or were privately educated. Meanwhile those from working-class backgrounds are increasingly under-represented in these areas. This work aims to find out why and to offer some solutions for change.
“This is not about returning to some romanticised golden age. It’s about ensuring cricket remains a viable, inclusive, and aspirational sport for young people from all backgrounds.
“Without urgent intervention, the hardball game risks becoming the preserve of the privileged few.”
The study has been welcomed by groups currently working to improve access to cricket.
Marylebone Cricket Club Foundation (MCCF) is a cricket charity based at Lord’s Ground in London that delivers widening participation projects across the UK and around the world.
Andy Turnbull, Programme Officer for MCC Foundation said: “This report provides a fantastic insight into the status of the game in northern English schools as well as key findings that require action if cricket is to grow at grass roots level within state secondary schools.
“Dr Scattergood’s work could not be better timed in terms of its relevance, as we are launching a brand-new National State Secondary School Hardball Cricket Competition this month. The competition is set to rollout nationally in 2026, with both boys’ and girls’ finals being played on the hallowed Lord’s turf.
“This excellent research provides detail and reliability which MCC and MCCF will factor into our long-term plan, which is to grow cricket in the state secondary school sector and introduce the hardball game to more schools and students, year on year.”
To read the full report, click here.