Clare Connor’s Legacy in Women’s Cricket
Clare Connor, currently serving as the ECB Deputy Chief Executive and Managing Director of England Women, is set to step down from her role following the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup, which will be held later this year. Her departure marks the end of a significant chapter in the development of women’s cricket in England.
Connor began her career as a player, amassing 111 international appearances across all formats of the game while working as a school teacher. She played amateur cricket for ten years before transitioning into administration after retiring as England’s captain. Her journey from player to administrator has been marked by a deep commitment to advancing women’s cricket.
Over the course of more than 18 years at the ECB, Connor played a pivotal role in transforming women’s cricket into a fully professional sport. One of her key contributions was the establishment of central contracts for England Women, which paved the way for domestic female athletes to secure professional contracts. These efforts have had a lasting impact on the growth and visibility of women’s cricket.
Connor’s work has not gone unnoticed. She has received several prestigious honors, including MBE, OBE, and CBE, for her contributions to women’s sports. She made history as the first female member of the ICC Cricket Committee and later chaired the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee. In 2021-22, she became the first female president of the MCC and served as the ECB’s Interim Chief Executive for nearly a year.
In a statement, Connor reflected on her time in the sport: “Having fallen in love with the game in a quite different era from the one we are in now, my goals as an administrator have been firmly rooted in making cricket more equal for women and girls. To have played a part in removing some of the barriers that were preventing those things from being possible and to know that cricket is now a more inclusive and more gender-balanced sport, is deeply rewarding. Of course, a job like this is never ‘done’ but I am proud to have done my bit. This has been the job of a lifetime so deciding to leave has been an extremely hard decision.”
A Leadership Journey
Connor’s leadership extended beyond administrative roles. As England’s captain, she led the team to their first Ashes victory in 42 years in 2005. She retired from playing in 2006 at the age of 29. Her transition to the ECB came in 2008 when she became the first employee dedicated exclusively to women’s cricket development.
Her influence continued through her work on addressing issues of equity in cricket. She directed the ECB’s response to the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report, which highlighted racial, class-based, and gender-based discrimination within the sport. Following England Women’s unsuccessful Ashes series against Australia in the previous year, Connor commissioned a structural assessment of the team, leading to the appointment of Charlotte Edwards as Head Coach and Nat Sciver-Brunt as captain.
The Upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup
The Women’s T20 World Cup is set to take place in England from June 12 until July 5. For the English team, this tournament represents an opportunity to secure their first global trophy since the 2017 ODI World Cup and their first T20 World Cup title since 2009, when they hosted the event. With Connor’s legacy behind them, the team is poised to continue the progress she helped initiate.
As the cricketing world prepares for the tournament, the focus remains on the continued growth and development of women’s cricket. Connor’s contributions have laid a strong foundation, ensuring that the sport remains inclusive and accessible for future generations.
