Appointed as managing director of the recreational game, Hawkins will be tasked with strengthening relationships between stakeholders to improve the sport's delivery across regions
Leshia Hawkins has been appointed as managing director of the recreational game, a new position created by the England and Wales Cricket Board, and will step down as Cricket Wales chief executive in 2024.
Hawkins will be tasked with strengthening relationships between stakeholders across the recreational game to improve the sport's delivery across regions.
The new position, which will see Hawkins become a member of the ECB leadership group, replaces the role Nick Pryde held as director of participation and growth, which he left in August.
"I am extremely proud to have been asked to take on this role, especially at such a critical moment for our sport," said Hawkins.
She continued: "I am acutely cognisant of the challenges ahead, but I also see enormous opportunities for the recreational game to further grow its reach and relevance, and to underpin all of cricket’s objectives in the coming years.
As part of the role with Cricket Wales, Hawkins represented them on the board of directors at Glamorgan (Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)
"While I am, of course, very sad to be leaving a job, team - and country - that I adore, I know the game in Wales will continue to flourish as it has, despite the myriad external challenges, over the last four years.
"I feel deeply privileged to be taking up this new post, and I look forward to playing the fullest possible role I can to ensure that cricket achieves its goal of becoming the most inclusive team sport in England and Wales."
Hawkins has previously worked for the ECB in commercial and cricket development roles before her time at Cricket Wales. Upon joining the body in February 2020, she represented them on the board of directors at Glamorgan.
A playing member of the MCC, Hawkins recently joined their women's players and fixtures sub-committee. She has also operated in a non-executive director position with England Athletics since October 2016.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould said Hawkins was "the outstanding choice) (Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
ECB chief executive Richard Gould added: "We're delighted to be able to bring Leshia into our team to lead such a crucial area of the game.
"There were a number of very capable candidates and she was the outstanding choice. The whole game will benefit from her expertise, her experience and her enthusiasm to take cricket forward.
"We know that cricket can have a vital social impact, and by supporting inclusive recreational cricket communities we can both bring more people into the game and also help sustain the future of the sport."
Cricket Wales interim chair Dr Tim Masters said: "Over the last four years she has demonstrated outstanding leadership, firstly navigating Welsh Cricket through the challenge of the pandemic and then delivering excellence in all areas of participation, particularly in making our game more diverse and inclusive."
Lead image credit: Glamorgan CCC
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