Learning to Win v Winning to Learn

I advocate Equality in Cricket. The One More Summer website exists to help achieve equality of opportunity for ALL and not just those born in the first half of the academic/sporting year.

I am suggesting the ECB promote a policy of 5 Year Rolling Averages that aim for 25% distribution of players, based on Birth Quarter (BQ), in all teams and environments. Players with potential exist across all BQs. Let’s realise that potential.

The current approach of ‘awareness’ and recording BQ in player data spreadsheets ISN’T WORKING. Relative Age Effect (RAE) biases are found in Age Groups, England U19s and in how Pro Cricketers are signed. Even though RAE is counterproductive and inefficient, RAE will continue until some action is taken.

ACTION PLAN

1. 5 Year Rolling Averages for County Age Groups, EPP, Academies, New Pros.
2. Counties and the ECB must publish these figures annually.
3. Clubs who nominate players for District/County trials need to be aware of RAE and record this information at the start of the pathway. They should also aim for BQ equality in team selection and opportunities.
4. ECB needs a policy to ensure ALL First Class Counties (FCCs) & National Counties (NCs) do this.
5. All trials to use Birth Date Order Bibs.

The ECB must lead on this. By selecting more equitably, more ‘smaller’ Q3/Q4 players will play. This could very well make an age group team less competitive IN THE SHORT TERM. If Counties play opposition who continue with a ‘Winning to Learn’ mentality instead of ‘Learning to Win’ then we will encounter resistance.