The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has unveiled 53 purple seats at Edgbaston Stadium ahead of the first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup match on Friday.
The seats recognise 53 women shaping the future of cricket, with Warwickshire County Cricket Club Chair, Tracey Orr, and Managing Director of the Warwickshire Cricket Foundation, Fidelis Navas, both recognised.
The number 53 is a nod to the years since the inaugural Women’s Cricket World Cup was held in England in 1973, with those included illustrate the breadth, diversity and richness of the cricket community today, from those who played a starring role in England’s 1973 World Cup winning team, to current and future voices of the game.
Tracey is named as one of the 53 having spent several years involved at Warwickshire. She was announced as the new Chair of the Club in February this year, after initially joining in February 2022 when she was co-opted as a Board Director. She then began her first full term in 2023, becoming Senior Independent Director at the same time. Tracey is a member of the Cricket Committee, Board lead for professional women’s cricket, and a member of Nominations and Remuneration Committees.
Fidelis is recognised having made a significant impact since joining Warwickshire four years ago in 2022. In January 2023, she helped to set up the Warwickshire Cricket Foundation, which does outstanding work in the community, supporting recreational cricket and inspiring participation in the game across the region. Under Fidelis’ guidance, the Foundation has been recognised by the ECB as best in class in several areas.
Also recognised from the West Midlands is Anisha Patel. The Head of Women & Girls’ Cricket at Dorridge CC, she has played an important role in developing and delivering the female cricket offering in the area, with the club now having players at all stages on the cricket pathway, from grassroots to professional. Anisha has also coached Northamptonshire’s county age-group girls and is currently involved in the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) Women’s Programme.
The number 53 has been selected given its symbolism, but the campaign exists to celebrate and inspire women of all backgrounds to play a role in the future of the game, to feel inspired by the stories, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and want to get involved – whether that’s working, volunteering or playing, because they can see a place for themselves in cricket.
The purple seats have been installed into the stands for the duration of the tournament as a highly visible recognition of women who are shaping the future of the game for generations to come and whose everyday contributions keep the sport thriving – often behind the scenes. In a nod to the colour associated with the Suffragette movement, the seats act as visual markers of recognition – celebrating women who are not just elite athletes, but coaches, grassroots volunteers, community leaders, broadcasters, officials, organisers and changemakers who are changing the game at every level, showing that there is a place for everybody in cricket and inspiring other women and girls to want to get involved themselves.
Each seat represents a different name, with a QR code directing fans to read their individual stories. This transforms the iconic stadium into a living story space, where storytelling becomes part of the matchday experience.
In broadcaster Nikki Kapoor-Chaudhuri and former England star turned commentator Isa Guha MBE have been recognised, while Dr Carol Brown-Leonardi and Mehwish Babar are also included for creating opportunities for girls to find their place in cricket. True trailblazers such as Clare Connor CBE and the first female groundskeeper at Lord’s Cricket Ground, Meg Lay, are also in the 53.
One of the seats unveiled tells the story of Ayesha Rauf, who has made it her mission to ensure South Asian representation in cricket across Wales. The Cardiff-based coach has built the women and girls pathway at Llandaff Cricket Club from scratch and is determined to show that cricket is a space for them.
Also being celebrated is World Cup winner Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE who grew up as the only girl playing at school, before being talent spotted and going on to lift the World Cup trophy in 2009. She later founded the ACE (African Caribbean Engagement) Programme to address the lack of access – an initiative which has since engaged more than 40,000 young people, operating hubs and academies in six cities. In 2023 Ebony was also appointed a Non-Executive Director on the ECB Board.
On unveiling the campaign, Kate Aldridge, Director of Business Operations and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at ECB, said: “The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is set to be a brilliant celebration of our sport but it also provides an important platform to change perceptions and shift visibility. Through The 53 we are placing women’s stories, contributions and impact directly at the heart of one of the great stadiums of our sport.
“We want to spotlight a few of the incredible women across England and Wales who are thriving in the game, opening up access and being role models for the next generation. By giving these stories a platform, we hope people are inspired to get involved in the game across all roles and at every level.
“As we welcome the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup back to England and Wales, we’re proud to celebrate not just elite performance, but the dedication, passion and contributions of women who make up our game.”
To read the stories of the 53 and find out more about getting involved in cricket, visit www.ecb.co.uk/the53
View the full list below.
- Aimee Rees, Head of Women’s and Girls’ Cricket, Glamorgan County Cricket Club
- Alexia Walker, Women’s Head Coach, Sussex Cricket
- Amy Jones, Women’s and Girls’ Club Development Officer, Cheshire Cricket Board
- Anisha Patel, Northamptonshire Women’s Player and Coach, South Asian Cricket Academy
- Anna Harris, Umpire
- Anna Warren, Head of Science and Medicine, England Women
- Ayesha Rauf, Coach, Llandaff Cricket Club
- Beth Barrett-Wild, Tournament Director, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
- Briony Tonks, Disability & SEND Cricket Coordinator, Oldswinford Cricket Club
- Charlotte Mandale, Chair, Puddletown Cricket Club
- Charlotte Moore, Women’s and Girls’ Development Manager, Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation
- Cheryl Davidson, Women’s XI Captain, Norton Oakes Cricket Club and Head of Business Development, Yorkshire Cricket Foundation
- Clare Connor CBE, MD of England Women & Deputy CEO, England and Wales Cricket Board and former England Women Captain
- Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Current England Women Player
- Donna Fraser OBE, Director of People & EDI, Professional Cricketers’ Association
- Dr Carol Brown-Leonardi, Founder & Chair, Cambridge Caribbean Cricket Academy
- Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE, Founder, ACE Programme, Broadcaster and former England Women Player
- Emily Marshall, England Women Digital Content Producer, England & Wales Cricket Board
- Fidelis Navas, Managing Director, Warwickshire Cricket Foundation
- Gabi Brown, Umpire
- Gabriella Rolls, EDI Project Officer, Kent Cricket Foundation
- Georgina Mackenzie, Safeguarding Lead, ACE Programme
- Glynis Culley, Coach & Volunteer at Winchmore Hill Cricket Club and former Young England player in the 1973 Women’s Cricket World Cup
- Grace Pearson, Head of Delivery & Development, Yorkshire Cricket Foundation
- Hannah Paling, Inclusive Development Officer & Schools Lead, Cumbria Cricket
- Helen Smith, Secretary & Volunteer, Plymouth Civil Service and Roborough Cricket Club
- Isa Guha MBE, Founder, Take Her Lead, Broadcaster and former England Women Player
- Izzy Gurney, Programme Manager & Safeguarding Lead, MCC Foundation
- Janet Drummond, Head of Catering Operations & Sustainability Lead, Hampshire Cricket
- Jemima Dalton, Chair, East Midlands Women’s Cricket League
- Jen Barden, Managing Director, Lancashire Cricket Foundation
- Karen Coleman, Award-winning Volunteer, Endon Cricket Club
- Kate Stephens, CEO, Chance to Shine
- Katie Holland, Wicketz Programme Manager, Lord’s Taverners
- Kenzie Benali, Presenter and Broadcaster
- Khadija Patel, Founder, KRIMMZ Girls Youth Club
- Kira Chathli, England Women, Surrey and MI London Player
- Liara Hampton, Youth Ambassador, Lord’s Taverners
- Maralyn Smith, Managing Director, Somerset Cricket Foundation
- Marilyn Smith, Chair, Middlesex County Cricket Club Women’s Cricket Committee
- Meg Lay, Groundskeeper, Lord’s Cricket Ground
- Mehwish Babar, Coach, Cricket East
- Members of the historic 1973 Women’s Cricket World Cup England Team
- Michelle Jeyarajah, Women’s and Girls’ Development Officer, Berkshire Cricket
- Nikki Kapoor-Chaudhuri, Commentator and Presenter
- Nimet Nathani, Accountant, England & Wales Cricket Board
- Sara Yasin, Coach & Youth Ambassador
- Sheromie Brewster, Coach, ACE Programme and Head of Cage Cricket London
- Theresa Peters, Accessibility Liaison Officer, The Kia Oval, Surrey County Cricket Club
- Tracey Orr, Chair, Warwickshire County Cricket Club
- Victoria Jones, Facilities Lead, Cricket Wales
- Yolanda Harris, Umpire and Officiating Tutor
- Yvonne Tweddle, Volunteer & Chair of House and Ground, Kings Bromley Cricket Club