All Stars to grey foxes: The changing face of club cricket

Recreational cricket is evolving across the board, with different age groups, playing levels and communities all helping to shape the future of the game.

In this collaboration with Howden, I caught up with Colin Mico (Head of Recreational Clubs at Howden) on how insurers and clubs should respond to changing demographics, team structures and participation trends.

Here in Yorkshire, the popularity of cricket amongst those aged 50+ is sky high. There are county teams for Over 50s, Over 60s and Over 70s, as well as a thriving club competition called the Grey Fox Trophy – an over-50s cricket competition administered and delivered by the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation.

The Grey Fox Trophy has 20 teams competing at clubs right across the region in 2026, along with the older demographic who still play (or umpire) in fixtures.

The ages and audiences for cricket are more diverse than they’ve ever been. Many clubs (including Colin’s at Caterham in Surrey) offer opportunities to play and attract club members from five years old to 70+, including some or all of these:

• All Stars Cricket for 5-8 year olds
• Dynamos Cricket for 8-11 years olds
• Junior cricket from 8 to 16 years (or 18 years)
• Senior cricket – league & friendlies – from 16 to 60 years
• Midweek & T20 matches
• Tours to play other clubs / friendlies (in the UK or abroad)
• Masters Cricket sessions (Over 50s)
• Walking Cricket (Over 60s)

“Just as clubs try to find new cricket opportunities for their current and future members, as well as past players, we have to make sure that any particular changes in exposure are covered by the policies that we arrange,” Colin noted.

He added: “We are being asked to consider wider health risks across a broader age group of participants to ensure that these are considered in relation to insurance.”

This expansion of grassroots cricket across all age groups comes with certain challenges, for example, capacity at cricket grounds and pitch availability.

Clubs that can invest their time and efforts in building teams across ages and abilities see an injection of members, ideas, experience, volunteering and commercial potential.

One such area is walking cricket where games can be indoors or outdoors and help clubs make wider use of their facilities, during quieter hours such as weekdays and outside the traditional April to September window.

In Yorkshire, walking cricket was launched in 2019 as a partnership between the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation and the University of the Third Age (u3a). The Barnsley u3a Walking Cricket team became the very first in the county (see below).

Colin tells me there are similar success stories down South: “My experience of walking cricket has been fantastic, as we engaged ex-players who gave up playing over 10 years ago and have wanted to return.”

Mirroring the picture in Yorkshire, Surrey now boasts 25 clubs and players expected to reach 700+. A Walking Cricket Festival also beckons at The Oval in September. This format is supported by the Surrey Cricket Foundation.

Taking guard

It’s important for cricket clubs to re-assess their insurance policy annually to consider how facilities, activities, participants and circumstances may have changed.

The size of your site and how it’s used are important considerations. But so too are the people using it.

For example, changes in the age profile of players, an increase in junior or senior participation, or the introduction of new teams can all affect the risks your club faces and, in turn, the insurance cover you need.

Get in touch with Howden

If you’re a cricket club reviewing its insurance over the coming year, you can get an online quote from Howden or speak to one of the team to see how they can help.

Howden’s expertise in helping clubs with cricket insurance is considerable. As the ECB’s cricket insurance partner for the recreational game, all registered clubs receive Public Liability, Employers’ Liability, Professional Indemnity, Directors’ and Officers’ Liability and Cyber Liability.

t: 01883 868521

e: [email protected]

w: Get a Quote Online from Howden

w: Why choose Howden for cricket club insurance?

Cricket Yorkshire partners with Howden to share news and advice relating to cricket insurance.

This is Partner Content for Howden – if the mood takes you, click to read Cricket Yorkshire’s policy on Partner Content.