Transforming the grassroots cricket landscape

Dr Sarah Fane OBE - Director

Sarah Fane studied Medicine at Bristol University. As a medical student and doctor, she travelled extensively in Pakistan and Afghanistan supporting health for women and children during both the Soviet-Afghan War in the eighties and under the Taliban regime in 2001.

These visits and the people she met inspired her to set up a charity, Afghan Connection, in 2002. Over 18 years, the charity supported some 500,000 children with Health, Education and Cricket in Afghanistan, building and renovating 130 schools and training more than 1,000 teachers.

In partnership with MCC, alongside the meteoric rise of the Afghanistan National Cricket Team, Afghan Connection delivered cricket projects to more than 150,000 young people. It built 110 pitches in schools and disability centres and provided coaching to teachers and young people across the war-torn country.

As a result of her work to promote and nurture the cricketing scene in Afghanistan, Sarah was made an Honorary Life Member of MCC in 2012. She received an OBE in 2013, in recognition for her work in Afghanistan.

Suse Harrison - Finance Director

Suse Harrison joined the MCC Foundation in April 2020. She spent the first nine years of her career at Lloyd’s of London, as an Assistant Underwriter specialising in US medical and legal malpractice reinsurance. She then took up an opportunity to race a yacht around the world in the BT Global Challenge. On her return in 1997 she helped set up the luxury ski chalet business Descent International, being fully responsible for the financial side of the business which grew to a turnover of £3m.

Following some time at home raising her children she returned to work in 2016, managing finance first at a biochemical firm and then at Afghan Connection, a charity which supported Education and Cricket in Afghanistan.

Poppy Reindorp - Development Director

Poppy has worked in fundraising and development roles across the arts and social welfare sector for over 10 years. She has spearheaded a diverse range of fundraising initiations including a £2million capital campaign and has secured significant funding from renowned foundations including Garfield Weston, National Lottery Community Fund and Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. She is also a Trustee of Outside Edge Theatre Company.

Poppy joined the MCCF Foundation in January 2024 and is responsible for generating philanthropic income to support the Foundations activities. Poppy looks forward to working closely with the Foundation team and Board of Trustees to secure, grow and diversify income streams to support the Foundation deliver more of its amazing activities to young people around the world. She is also hoping to improve her cricket skills!

Imogen Barrett - Fundraising and Database Officer

Imogen completed an MA in International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS, University of London, before joining the MCC Foundation. Her Master’s dissertation focussed on the role of cricket as a form of soft power diplomacy in post-colonial Caribbean countries. 

Before that, Imogen completed a BA in Italian and Linguistics at the University of Oxford. During her year abroad in Italy, she helped organise events and auctions for various charities such as UNICEF and AmfAR. Her other previous work includes fundraising for arts organisations and an internship in social impact investment.

Imogen is familiar with the MCC and Lord’s, having worked as a Pavilion Steward during major international matches whilst completing her studies.

Angus Berry - Operations Director

Angus joined the MCC Foundation in April 2022. He graduated with a BA in History (including archival research at the Lord's library) from the University of Sussex in 2014 and followed this with a master’s degree from the University of St Andrews in 2015. During this time, Angus founded an international charity, Connecting Clubs International, which works to develop the next generation of cricketers in Nepal whilst tackling harmful gender norms such as child marriage and gender-based violence. Reaching more than 5,000 children since its inception, Angus looks forward to scaling the next phase of the project through MCCF and its partners.

Angus has worked in Global Health and international consultancy with experience working across low and middle-income countries. His experience includes project managing, health research programmes in Southern Africa and securing multi-million-pound contracts with UKAid, USAID, WHO, World Bank, and other multilateral funders. Most recently he has been developing global health partnerships at the NHS with a focus on health system strengthening.

Angus is a keen sportsman and enjoys running and playing golf on a regular basis. During the summer months he can be found toiling away with his left arm spin for his local club, the Buccaneers.

Reece Bird - Regional Programme Manager (North)

Reece Bird joined the MCC Foundation in August 2014 as the MCCF National Cricket Hub Manager. Reece brings a wealth of cricketing knowledge to the Foundation from his previous ten years' experience as County Cricket Development Manager for Yorkshire Cricket.

In his current role, he oversees MCCF's Hubs across the North of the UK, ensuring high-quality coaching and effective programme management. Reece is an active ECB Tutor, ECB Level 3 Head coach & Pathways lead coach who has a passion to develop players and new coaches.  He also sits on the MCC Youth sub-committee.

Adam Davidson - Regional Programme Manager (South)

Adam is delighted to join MCC Foundation, having worked for Berkshire Cricket for seven years, principally managing various community programmes. As part of that role, Adam managed and coached on four MCCF Hubs across the county. He was also a part-time Regional Hub Manager since 2020. Prior to that, Adam worked in telecoms for seven years, having completed an Economics degree at the University of Nottingham.

He remains heavily involved in cricket in and around Reading, on and off the field for his local club, and helping to run various club competitions. He is an ECB Advanced Coach (Level 3), and a Coach Developer.

Andy Hibberd - Regional Programme Manager (Midlands)

Andy joined the MCC Foundation in March 2024 as Regional Programme Manager for the Midlands. Prior to this, he spent 7 years at Leicestershire County Cricket Club has Club Network Officer and more recently, Lead Officer. He is an ECB Level 3 coach and has spent over a decade working on the performance pathway. Furthermore, Andy has been a Coach Developer for 9 years and is still active, delivering courses in Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.

Andy is a volunteer within the game too, sitting on numerous league committees and his own club’s committee, Sleaford Cricket Club. Andy occasionally gets to turn out for Leicestershire Gents CC, often taking on the MCC.

Izzy Gurney - National Programmes Officer & Safeguarding Lead

Izzy completed a MSc in International Development at the University of Bristol shortly before joining the MCC Foundation. Prior to that, she studied BSc Geography (Human) at Cardiff University and was President of Cardiff University Ladies Cricket Club.

Izzy is an avid cricket player and ECB Level 2 coach. She spends her spare time in the summer playing in both men’s and women’s sides, coaching for the Buckinghamshire County Cricket Board and for her club. Izzy is an influential Committee member of her club where she established a women and girls’ set up and organises events such as six-a-side tournaments and Awards Evenings.

Over the past six years, Izzy has fundraised thousands of pounds for sport-for-development NGOs and firmly believes in the power of sport, particularly cricket, to influence positive social change.

James Bailey - Head of Communications

James is a former Ski Instructor of America, teacher and screen actor. He joined the Foundation in September 2021 and has since been overseing the production and delivery of compelling stories from MCCF’s projects in the UK and around the world.

James is responsible for overseeing MCCF’s internal & external comms including its newsletters, brochures, social media, website, campaign strategies, media relations, photography and films. He produced MCCF's 2024 short film on cricket in East Africa which won the Children & Welfare Award at the Big Syn International Film Festival.

Occasionally, James dips back into performing and is known for playing creature characters in Star Wars.

A. Philip Marsden MBE - Chair

Philip has been a business leader and professional adviser throughout his career. For the last 30 years he has advised senior executives internationally. He founded Ridgeway Partners, a top-level board search firm, in 2004. In 2016 he funded the purchase of Ridgeway by his employees, remaining as Executive Chair until March 2020.

Philip is Chair of the MCC Foundation and the former Chair of the Advisory Board of St Benet’s Hall at the University of Oxford.  He is an Emeritus trustee of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. He is a member of the board of The Cardinal Hume Centre, which works with the young homeless, and a former member of the corporate board of the Royal Marsden Cancer charity. He sits on the advisory council of A Blueprint for Better Business, and is a supporter of the Speakers for Schools program.

Philip also invests in and advises a range of private businesses directly and through funds.

Previously Philip worked in the financial services and oil industries for Citibank, NatWest Markets and Premier Oil. He entered the search industry through an MBO of Goddard Kay Rogers in 1994.

Philip has an MA in Modern History and History of Art from the University of St Andrews.

In 2022, Philip was awarded the MBE for services to business and charitable fundraising, in the final Honours list of Queen Elizabeth II.

Matthew Kirkby - Treasurer

Matthew studied at Pembroke College, Oxford where he captained the college cricket side. He is a qualified lawyer who spent most of the last 25 years in the banking industry predominantly in Asia. Matthew currently sits on a number of company boards. In the Not for Profit sector, he has been involved for the last ten years in programmes aimed at increasing access to Universities from applicants from lower socioeconomic and minority backgrounds.

Charlotte Appleyard

Charlotte Appleyard is Director of Development & Business Innovation at the Royal Academy of Arts. She previously worked at Outset Contemporary Art Fund, and in the curatorial departments at The National Gallery in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

In 2012 she published "Corporate Art Collections: A Handbook" a history and survey of corporate collections. She served as a trustee of Turner Contemporary and the ICA and currently sits on the advisory board of the Centre for Entrepreneurs and the Evening Standard London Recovery Board. She is a graduate of Oxford University, the Courtauld Institute and Harvard Business School.

Clare Connor CBE

Clare is a former England cricket captain who retired from playing for England in 2006 with over 100 international caps and having led the team for 6 years. At the age of 30, she was awarded the OBE after leading England to a first Ashes win in 42 years. She was then awarded the CBE for services to women’s sport in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List.

Clare is now Managing Director of Women’s Cricket at the England & Wales Cricket Board, driving a period of significant change and growth for the women’s game. She has also been Chair of the International Cricket Council’s Women’s Cricket Committee since 2011.

Clare has enjoyed a dynamic career outside cricket. For 7 years, she combined playing for England whilst teaching English at Brighton College and heading up the school’s PR & Marketing operations. Clare has also worked in the cricket media, presenting for Channel 4 Cricket, summarising for Test Match Special, writing a column in The Observer and as a guest on Sky Sport’s coverage of international cricket.

In October 2021, Clare will become the first female President of the MCC in its 233-year history.

Mehmooda Duke MBE

Mehmooda is the founder and CEO of Moosa – Duke Solicitors, specialising in medical negligence claims.

In May 2019, she became Chair of Leicestershire County Cricket Club, making her the first female in English Cricket to Chair a First Class County. She was also the first Asian female in the 155-year history of Leicestershire Law Society to be President.

Mehmooda is the founder and Chair of ‘Leading Ladies’, a membership organisation made up of professional and non - professional women of all generations. The aim is to inspire, mentor, coach and support one another to ‘dream big and fly high’.

Mehmooda was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List 2019 for services to the Legal Profession and female entrepreneurship.

Matthew Fleming

Matthew has been an enthusiastic member of MCC since 2004. Prior to that he played cricket for Kent between 1990 and 2002 Captaining them for 4 years, and representing England 11 times between 1997 and 1998. He Chaired the Professional Cricketers Association 1996-2003.

As a member of the MCC he has been on both the Main and Cricket Committees, Chairing the latter and was the Club’s President in 2017. He was the MCC’s nominated Director of ECB between 2009-2016. Away from Cricket he is a Partner in Stonehage Fleming, a multi-family office, where he leads the Family Governance and Succession Practise, supporting families as they develop and implement intergenerational strategies.

He is married with three cricket-mad daughters, lives in Norfolk where he is a season ticket holder at Norwich City FC and a galanthophile. He has been a Director of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, a Trustee of the PF Charitable Trust and held various other external positions.

James Geffen

James’ professional career included 35 years in Financial Services as a Senior Partner and Group Director at Miller Insurance Services LLP. Other roles include Trustee of The Prince’s Trust, Chair of Governors of Aldro School Educational Trust and Chair of Guildford Cricket Club.

James is a Member of MCC and has served on the Membership & General Purposes Committee since 2020.

Rohan Kapadia

Rohan has extensive experience in cricket and education. His coaching experiences have ranged from coaching for the MCC Academy, MCB, NCCC, Chance to Shine and ICC Americas (Argentina) to being senior coach at Barnes CC, Richmond CC, and Nottingham University CC (Mens and Women’s).

Having been a Teach First Ambassador and headed up Cricket for The Prince’s Trust he also has extensive administration and community sport experience both at local and national levels. His teaching experiences cover leadership positions in all phases of education, having taught all ages from nursery to secondary, most recently being the Head Teacher at Twice Times Nursery School in Fulham.

Rohan is ECB Level 2 qualified, holds QTS, Safeguarding Level 3, Pediatric First Aid and is our lead child protection/safeguarding officer and lead first aider.

Dr Samir Pathak

Samir was educated at Hymers College in Hull. He subsequently attended Liverpool Medical School. He undertook his medical training in Liverpool, Bristol and Leeds and is now a Consultant Pancreatic Surgeon at St James's University Hospital in Leeds

Samir has captained his University, played for England Universities in 2004 and is currently a member of the MCC Cricket Committee.

Chris Rogers

Chris Rogers is Chair of Wickes plc and sits on the boards of Kerry Group and Sanderson Design Group. He has played cricket throughout his life and continues to play today, turning out for Turville Park Cricket Club with its glorious views over the Chilterns.

After qualifying as a chartered accountant with Price Waterhouse he had a long career in the retail and leisure industries. His last executive role was on the Board of Whitbread plc where he served as Chief Financial Officer for seven years before becoming Global Managing Director of Costa Coffee.

Chris was appointed as the Club’s Treasurer in 2023 and chairs its Finance committee, which he joined in 2015.

MCC Foundation is proud to be supported by:

Mike Atherton OBE

Mike Brearley OBE

Sir Stephen Fry

Mike Gatting OBE

Isa Guha

Michael Holding

Mel Jones OAM

Roger Knight OBE

Alison Mitchell

Lisa Sthalekar

Claire Taylor MBE

Heather Knight OBE

Heather is an English cricketer and captain of the England Women's cricket team. She is a right-handed batter and right arm off spin bowler. In 2017, Heather led the England team in her first Women's Cricket World Cup as captain. England won the tournament, beating India with a 9-run victory at Lord's. Following the team's success, Heather was awarded an OBE in the Queen's 2018 New Year Honours list. She played in her 100th Women's ODI match for England in December 2019. In 2021, she scored her 3,000th run and took her 50th wicket in ODI cricket.

“I'm delighted to be an Ambassador for the MCC Foundation. I've admired the work the MCCF has done from afar, so I jumped at the chance to support such a brilliant cause. Cricket has given me so many amazing experiences and taught me so many life lessons, so I look forward to giving back a little and helping young people develop a similar lifelong love of the game.”

Roberta Avery

Robertarn is a Brazilian cricketer and the captain of the Brazil Women's cricket team. Roberta initially played golf and handball to a high standard throughout her youth and did not start playing cricket until she was 27. As well as playing, she also coaches cricket to children at different schools across Brazil during her spare time.

“Cricket for me is much more than a sport, it is about changing lives with the best game in the world. The smiles and happiness we see on participants of the developing programs done with the Foundation are one of the main reasons we want to keep Cricket growing and giving opportunities to children all over the world. So, it’s an honour to be involved with MCC Foundation and sharing their values through our paths.”

Maia Bouchier

Maia is an English cricket who plays for Hampshire, Southern Vipers and Southern Brave. She plays as a right-handed batter and bowls right-arm medium pace. Maia has previously played for Middlesex, Auckland, Melbourne Stars and Western Australia. She made her international debut for the England Women's cricket team in September 2021.

“The work of the MCC Foundation has been critical in providing the best opportunities to young cricketers around the world. I have been so lucky as a young girl to have grown up playing cricket in my back garden and now, playing for my country, so to be asked to be a playing ambassador for the Foundation is an absolute honour and I cannot wait to be part of the team!”

Saqib Mahmood

Saqib is an English cricketer who plays for the England Men's cricket team and Lancashire. He is a right-arm fast bowler. Saqib made his international Twenty20 debut for England in November 2019, with his Test debut in March 2022. In April 2022, he was bought by the Oval Invincibles.

Mohammad Nabi

Mohammad is an Afghan cricketer and former captain of the Afghanistan Men's cricket team. He is an attacking batting all-rounder, playing as a right-handed batter and off break bowler. He played a major role in Afghanistan's rise to the top level of international cricket, playing in both their first ODI in 2009 and their first Test match in 2018. He was part of Afghanistan's first ever T20I team when they played Ireland in 2010 and was part of Afghanistan's first ever T20 World Cup team.

Sophia Dunkley

Sophia is an English cricketer who plays for Surrey, South East Stars, Welsh Fire, Gujarat Giants and the England Women's cricket team. A right-handed batter and right-arm leg break bowler, Sophia made her county debut in 2012 for Middlesex and her England debut in 2018. In 2021, she was awarded her first central contract with the England Women's cricket team and made her Test debut that same year, becoming the first black woman to play Test cricket for England.

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Louay Al-Kadro

Louay is a Junior Coach and student at Alsama in Lebanon.

Before coming to Lebanon, Louay lived under ISIS in Syria. He and his family escaped by hiking over the mountains bordering the two countries. When Louay first arrived in Lebanon, he was illiterate and worked in a clothes factory for 18 months.

Louay discovered cricket in 2018. His skills progressed quickly, becoming an Assistant Coach at Alsama in September 2021, and a Junior Coach in March 2023. He relishes his position as a young leader and now works alongside other coaches to ensure that Alsama’s cricket players are conducting themselves safely and with good technique.

Before Alsama, Louay’s refugee status meant that he could not access formal education. Now, as one of Alsama’s top-performing students and a Young Ambassador for MCCF, Louay is looked up to as a model example of cricket’s potential to transform lives.

Maram Al-Khodir

Maram is an assistant coach and student at Alsama.

Maram was born in Syria - but the ISIS regime meant that she and her family were forced to flee to Lebanon illegally. Before discovering cricket and the Alsama Project, Maram’s refugee status meant that she couldn’t access formal education in Lebanon. 41% of Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon are married before they are 18; for Maram, it looked like this would be her future. But then she found cricket and her life changed.

Maram started playing cricket in 2019. She sees the game as a weapon against oppression - a way to help girls take a step forward, and a platform for them to have a voice. Maram’s passion and skill was evident from early on and she became an Assistant Coach at Alsama in September 2021. She is now part of a leadership team working to support other cricket players.

When MCCF visited Alsama in 2022 with MCC, the Community Coaches recognised Maram’s love for the game, and her desire to teach and inspire through cricket. She was made an MCCF Young Ambassador, a role which Maram hopes will help her to spread girls’ cricket throughout the Middle East and champion women’s rights through female empowerment.

Georgie Heath

A self-professed badger, Georgie is a journalist, commentator and presenter who is hugely passionate about growing the game globally for women and girls. She is co-host of Women's Cricket Chat podcast and has already commentated at FairBreak Invitational, the ICC Women's U19 T20 World Cup and a range of domestic cricket matches as well as reporting for TalkSPORT and Times Radio. 

Georgie first fell in love with the game as a kid on the (very cold) beaches of North Yorkshire with her Mum and even has two dogs named after cricketers (Tuffers and Morkel), so her dedication to the game is unquestionable.

She freelance writes and reports for numerous outlets and is ready to front MCCF video campaigns, helping to share the incredible stories of the Foundation's beneficiaries.

In 2022, she and 2017 World Cup winner Fran Wilson won BBC's Celebrity Pointless. Her charity of choice was one of MCCF's delivery partners, Cricket Without Boundaries.

Lucy Jayne Rees

Lucy is a Sports PR specialist, cricket scorer, writer, coach, player, and all-round badger. As someone who grew up playing boys’ cricket, she is passionate about growing the game for women and girls. Previously working as part of The Hundred and commentating on Western Storm games during the pandemic, Lucy knows the game inside out.

Lucy has had an interest in cricket from an early age, probably due to it being drummed into her at home on a daily basis. She started playing at Briton Ferry Steel in the Under 9's and soon started training with the regional Girls’ set up back in South Wales.

Lucy eventually turned to scoring and in 2016 joined the MCC scoring panel. She has scored at the Home of Cricket twice and has travelled far and wide with the MCC representative teams.

Lucy studied Sports Journalism (NCTJ) at the University of Gloucestershire and is now living and working in London for Press Box PR, managing sports clients and writing Cricket and F1 content.

Melissa Story

Melissa has played cricket since she was 7 years old and has represented Wiltshire, Hampshire, Young Vipers, and Gloucestershire. She is a passionate advocate for grassroots women’s cricket having previously coached junior girls' club teams and helped to grow the University of Southampton Women’s Cricket Club.

Melissa grew up in a cricket-loving family, spending Saturdays at Corsham CC watching her Dad play, having TMS constantly on the radio, and pretending to be ill so she could skip school and watch the 2005 Ashes boxset.

In 2021, Melissa began cricket commentary covering Hampshire men and Southern Vipers’ games. Four months later she became the youngest-ever TMS commentator.

Melissa has since commentated on the England Women’s series against South Africa and India, the Commonwealth Games, The Hundred, and a range of domestic cricket matches - although she considers one of her finest moments to be her breathless running commentary of the mascot race at the 2022 T20 Finals Day.

Melissa is thrilled to share the successes of the Foundation and support all the brilliant work it does in the UK and around the world. Bringing cricket to under-represented communities and providing grassroots programmes is integral to growing the game and making it more inclusive.

AMBASSADOR ALUMNI

Will Gaffney

Cordelia Griffith

Mumtaz Habib

Harry Savill

Ajmal Shahzad

We are most grateful to all the companies, trusts and individuals listed below (and those who wish to remain anonymous) who currently support us, and to those who have given generously in the past.

Without them, we could not use cricket to transform and improve people’s lives.

Alan and Irene Halsall
Aldridge Foundation 
Charles Stanley
David Peck
Dominic Pemberton
Donald Pearse
Eric M Young and Family
Felix Byam Shaw Foundation
Gary Parekh
Geoff Ball
Geoffrey de Jager 
Gerald Corbett
GKL Leasing
Glamorgan Followers Club
I.R.K. Maclaren Settlements
In Memory of Gerald and Pamela Williams
In Memory of Michael Melluish
Jan Wulf van Alkemade
Jonathan Orders
Mark Powell
Oliver Stocken
Paul Knox
Peter Bennett-Jones
Peter Stormonth Darling
Philip Bassett
Phillip Hodson
Reigate Priory C.C.
Rick and Melissa Johnson
Simon Dyson
The Cricket Society Trust
The Derek Raphael Charitable Trust
The Dowley Charitable Trust
The Garfield Weston Foundation
The Holbeck Trust
The John Swire Charitable Trust
The Loveday Charitable Trust

We would also like to extend our gratitude to the following schools and venues who support the Hubs programme by offering us free, or significantly discounted, facility hire:

Aldridge Cricket Academy

Bradford Grammar School

The Cotswold School

Dauntsey’s

Dulwich College

Eastbourne College

Fettes College

Framlingham College

Harrow School

Hymers College

Magdalene College School

Mount Kelly Boarding and Day School

Norwich School

Nottingham High School

Oundle School

Sibford School

St Dunstan’s College