Leshia Hawkins appointed as ECB Managing Director, Recreational Game

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has appointed Leshia Hawkins as the new Managing Director, Recreational Game.

The new role succeeds that of Director of Participation and Growth, and will see Hawkins become a member of the ECB Leadership Group.

Hawkins, who is leaving her current role as Chief Executive Officer of Cricket Wales to take up the new position, will be tasked with ensuring an integrated approach across England and Wales with regards to the delivery of the Participation & Growth strategy.

The role will see Hawkins lead on strengthening relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders across the recreational game – including cricket boards, county cricket foundations and charity partners – to help ensure that resources are efficiently utilised and that every region is supported to deliver recreational cricket to the best of its ability across its communities.

She will also support the new Recreational Game Committee (RGC), which has responsibility to provide strategic advice to the ECB board in relation to recreational cricket.

Hawkins has headed up Cricket Wales since 2020, having worked previously at the ECB in both commercial and cricket development roles.

“I am acutely cognisant of the challenges ahead, but I also see enormous opportunities for the recreational game to further grow its reach and relevance, and to underpin all of cricket’s objectives in the coming years,” Hawkins said.

“I feel deeply privileged to be taking up this new post, and I look forward to playing the fullest possible role I can to ensure that cricket achieves its goal of becoming the most inclusive team sport in England and Wales.”