Photo Credit: ECB/Getty Images
- The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today hosted the latest in its series of Taste of Cricket events at Shepherds Bush Cricket Club, London
- Celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott, TV presenter Chris Bavin, and England Men’s Chris Jordan were on hand to help prepare the dishes and mix with guests
- In partnership with Remitly and part of the existing Raising The Game platform – designed to ensure everyone feels welcome to play and enjoy cricket – the Taste of Cricket event celebrated the unique relationship the sport has with food, with exciting twists on the traditional cricket tea being served – from Jerk Chicken and rum cake, hailing from the Caribbean, to Afghan Kabuli Pulao
- The event at Shepherds Bush Cricket Club is one of a host of community club events taking place across England and Wales this summer, with over 100 clubs invited to hold extra special match teas celebrating their hard work in making the game more inclusive
- Following the summer festivities, Taste of Cricket will unveil a cookbook to inspire cricket tea creativity later this year, and is offering two fans the chance to submit their own recipe to be featured in the book via www.ecb.co.uk/about/edi/raising-the-game
Today, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) hosted its Taste of Cricket event at Shepherds Bush Cricket Club (Shepherds Bush CC). The latest in a series of community events happening this summer as part of the Taste of Cricket campaign, today’s event was part of Shepherds Bush’s own long-standing annual Memorial Day Caribbean Cricket Match. It saw the club open its doors to new and diverse communities and celebrate all those who work hard to make cricket more inclusive in the area.
Sponsored by Remitly, each special match tea event taking place across England and Wales this summer will showcase different stories of community clubs and volunteers who are driving positive change within the game and improving access to cricket.
Challenging the outdated stereotype of plain sandwiches and milky tea, all Taste of Cricket events will demonstrate the true variety of cuisines that are often shared during a match tea. For Shepherds Bush CC, this included a host of Caribbean recipes such as Jerk Chicken, as well as a delicious Rum Cake – perfectly timed to coincide with the England Men’s Test Series against the West Indies, kicking off at Edgbaston Stadium on the same day. Celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott, TV presenter Chris Bavin, and England Men’s Chris Jordan were present to help prepare the day’s dishes. Ainsley’s journey is intertwined in cricket – he was the Head Chef of the Long Room at Lord’s Cricket Ground in the early 1990s – making the Shepherds Bush event a return to his cricketing roots.
Shepherds Bush CC has contributed to important work in the West London area to promote diversity and inclusivity amongst its growing membership. This includes a thriving Women & Girls’ section, retaining links with its rich African-Caribbean heritage, and opening up access to cricket for local children from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition to working with cricket charity Platform, to send coaches to two local schools, the club also offers bursaries to juniors and adults for equipment to ensure cricket remains accessible to all in the area.
Money transfer remittance service, Remitly, will also be offering 100 inspirational community clubs, who excel at promoting diversity and inclusion, an opportunity to get in on the action this summer. Participating clubs will receive a Taste of Cricket hamper, including a supermarket voucher, picnic goodies, and recipes to supercharge their very own Taste of Cricket match tea.
Following the summer festivities and just in time for Christmas gifting, the Taste of Cricket cookbook will launch later this year, featuring a range of beloved classics and innovative twists on match tea recipes, crowdsourced from grassroots volunteers at clubs, cricket and foodie royalty, and famous fans of the game, including Ainsley Harriott and Chris Bavin.
Speaking about the day’s event, Ainsley Harriott said: “Today was a wonderful example of how food brings together cricketing communities around the world. Cooking up the Jerk Chicken, alongside Chris Bavin and Carl Menzie who was playing on the day, and hearing about the recipe’s close ties to the club’s vibrant heritage was an absolute joy. Thank you to Shepherds Bush Cricket Club for opening its doors to us today – I loved meeting its members and hearing their stories about the club’s longstanding impact on the wider community.”
England Men’s cricketer, Chris Jordan who is currently playing for Southern Brave in The Hundred, commented at the event: “Having the opportunity to tour the world and experience different cuisines and cultures through the iconic match tea is really special and completely unique to cricket. Being at Shepherds Bush Cricket Club today sampling the amazing food that defines the club and meeting the members that make such an impact to its culture was an incredible experience.”
Will Speer, Chair of Shepherds Bush Cricket Club noted: “We were delighted to invite the ECB to host its Taste of Cricket event at the club. Our Memorial Cricket Game, that celebrates members past and present as well as being a celebration of the club’s heritage, acted as a perfect backdrop to the day. Here at Shepherds Bush Cricket Club, we have worked tirelessly for a number of years to ensure that cricket is accessible to all and that our club is diverse, inclusive and welcoming to everyone. Taste of Cricket was a vibrant showcase of the diversity within our club, featuring the amazing food that regularly brings our family, friends and community together during the summer months.”
Kate Miller, the ECB’s Chief Communications Officer commented, “Being one of the only sports that breaks play to eat, cricket and food are intrinsically linked. Shepherds Bush Cricket Club has a long history of welcoming players from all corners of the world, making the club a natural partner for our Taste of Cricket campaign. Today was a brilliant celebration of this profound connection and the power it has to unite communities, both this summer with our Taste of Cricket event series, and beyond with the cookbook.”
To stay up to date with Taste of Cricket, please visit: www.ecb.co.uk/about/edi/raising-the-game.
