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Cricket opening doors

The Chair of the Lord's Taverners charity, Lucy Pearson, shares her experience from the Disability Cricket Day at Lord’s and explains how the sport is aiming to become the most inclusive team sport in the country.

8th August 2025

by Lucy Pearson
Chair, Lord's Taverners

There has never been more opportunity for young people with a disability to access and thrive in cricket.

In my short time as Chair of Lord’s Taverners, I’ve been privileged to witness the transformative power of our disability cricket programmes, not just for the young people who take part, but for their families, schools, and communities.

These experiences aren’t just inspirational, they are life-changing.

The need for our work has never been greater. That’s why I’m proud to be leading an organisation committed to making cricket the UK’s most inclusive team sport. And few moments capture that ambition more powerfully than the recent Disability Cricket Day at Lord’s.

Young people take part in cricket drills during the Disability Cricket Day at Lord's.

This landmark event, delivered in partnership with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), and with the support of Sport England, was far more than a celebration of cricket. It was a bold statement of inclusion.

Together, we opened not just the gates of the Home of Cricket, but doors for thousands of young people across the country – offering a glimpse of what is possible when barriers are removed, and potential is given room to grow.

From grassroots to elite, the day showcased the full spectrum of disability cricket. This was the largest celebration of its kind and a testament to what can be achieved when organisations unite with a shared purpose.

Stakeholders from across the sporting landscape, disability advocates, educators and representatives from international cricketing nations gathered to witness and discuss how we can continue to evolve and grow the game.

There were moments of pride and passion throughout, not least in the conference sessions exploring inclusion across junior, recreational and elite levels. We heard directly from young people whose lives have been transformed through cricket. Their voices – often underrepresented – helped underline why inclusive sport isn’t a luxury or a bonus. It’s a necessity.

Young people take part in a mini cricket game on a table during the Disability Cricket Day at Lord's.

One of the day’s highlights was our own Lord’s Taverners’ National Table Cricket Finals, where 12 regional champions competed at Lord’s after a nationwide series involving hundreds of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) schools from across the UK during the previous six months.

Table Cricket – a brilliantly adapted, fully inclusive version of the game – opens up a world of opportunity for young people with a wide range of learning and physical disabilities. It helps build confidence, foster independence and teach vital teamwork and leadership skills – all within the joy and discipline of sport.

To see these young athletes compete on the same day and at the same venue as their elite counterparts was incredibly powerful.
 

Together, we opened not just the gates of the Home of Cricket, but doors for thousands of young people across the country – offering a glimpse of what is possible when barriers are removed, and potential is given room to grow.

The event closed with history being made: the first ever international disability cricket fixture played on the main ground at Lord’s, a mixed-disability T20 between England and India. It was a moment that united grassroots passion with elite aspiration, showing every young person in attendance what’s possible.

This remarkable alignment – national youth competition and elite international showcase, side-by-side – is a beacon for what sport can be when inclusion is placed at its heart. It’s a demonstration of the pathway that exists and is strengthening year-on-year for cricketers with a disability, and a reminder of the importance of representation. Because when young people see others like themselves competing at the highest level, they begin to believe: this is for me, too.

The success of the day was only possible because of the strong partnership between the ECB, MCC, and the Lord’s Taverners – a spirit that reflects Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy. Together, we’re not only creating unforgettable moments; we’re laying the foundations for long-term change.

Cricket – like all sport – holds the power to change lives. But that power is only realised when it’s accessible to all. Too many young people with a disability still face barriers: lack of opportunities, inaccessible environments, or simply not seeing themselves reflected on the field. The message they hear can all too often be: this isn’t for you.

At the Lord’s Taverners, we are here to change that.

And thanks to events like Disability Cricket Day – and the partnerships that make them possible – we’re showing that our sport can lead the way in making inclusion not just a principle, but a reality.
 

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Lord's Taverners

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