A contingent of participants from Middlesex in the Community played a key part in African Caribbean Cricket Festival 2026 hosted at The County Ground in Beckenham a week before Windrush Day festivities. The event was marked by the presence of former England and West Indian legends who were there to celebrate the rich history and ties of African Caribbean cricket in England.
Middlesex in the Community’s participants from their Cricket Cities programmes in Haringey and Hackney, several with Afro-Caribbean heritage were present to take part in the interactive cricket sessions conducted on the main ground. The kids were overawed by the presence of the likes of Curtly Ambrose, Counrtney Walsh, Chris Lewis and Middlesex’s very own Roland Butcher who formed a key part of the golden generation in the 1980s.
“Getting England shirts signed by the old players was so cool”, said one participant
Devon Malcolm former England fast bowler and proud Jamaican, the architect of the event was there to greet all the young aspiring cricketers on a day that saw 2 exciting matches between the ACE Academy versus Kent Academy and the Caribbean Cup XI versus Windrush XI in back-to-back T20 fixtures.
With plenty of delicious Caribbean food on offer along the boundary ropes and the weather perfect for cricket – the young people ensured there was no stone left unturned when it came to having fun. “I loved watching the cricket and sessions in the indoor centre made me bowl faster”
Current England players and recent debutant Emilio Gay was there to sign a few autographs, while rising star Davina Perrin hosted a batting masterclass at the indoor centre.
“The cricket was so much fun, playing and watching but the best part was that I got to meet the England opening batter Emilio Gay” Zane-Ellis from MiTC’s Broadwater Farm programme
MiTC also had a contingent of aspiring young cricketers from the Eritrean community linked-Islington Street programme, “We had such a lovely day. The children enjoyed all the fun activities that were so wonderfully organised”, Ghebrenegus Ghile, Eritrean Youth Club.
“Events such as this hosted by the Diverse Communities team and their Black Clubs Liason Officer Devon Malcolm, go a long way in inspiring young people from Black communities to keep on playing and enjoying cricket. It was lovely to see Davina & Emilio take the time to interact with these young people and have hopefully motivated them to carry on playing cricket”.
