Neil Robinson, Head of Heritage and Collections at MCC, has been named the winner of the 2025 Howard Milton Award for Cricket Scholarship, awarded jointly by The Cricket Society and the British Society of Sports History (BSSH).
Celebrating a global leader in cricket heritage
Robinson, widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts on cricket history and heritage, has served at Lord’s for nearly two decades. During that time, he has played a pivotal role in preserving and promoting the rich cultural legacy of cricket.
Under his stewardship, the MCC Museum has expanded its collections significantly, now housing one of the world’s most extensive archives of sporting artefacts, memorabilia, and cricket literature. He was also instrumental in launching the Museum’s first Digital Strategy and proposed the Heyhoe Flint Gate, unveiled in 2022.
Award-winning work that connects history and modern cricket
Robinson has curated acclaimed exhibitions that connect cricket with wider themes of empire, gender, race, and society, including the widely praised No Foreign Field: MCC and the Empire of Cricket. His work stands out for making cricket history engaging and relevant to new generations of fans.
He is also a noted cricket writer and speaker. His book, Long Shot Summer (2015), explores the turbulent “summer of four captains” in 1988.
Industry leaders honour Robinson’s contributions
Cricket Society Chair Peter Hardy remarked: “I’m delighted that The Cricket Society and the British Society for Sports History are recognising Neil Robinson in this way. His long track record as a cricket historian, archivist and curator is immensely impressive and makes him the worthy winner of the Howard Milton Award for 2025.”
Responding to the award, Robinson said: “I’m thrilled and honoured to receive this award. Much of my work at Lord’s has been about building partnerships, so in accepting it I must also thank the many colleagues at MCC and beyond who have brought ideas and energy to so many worthwhile projects.”
About the Howard Milton Award
The Howard Milton Award is an annual recognition of outstanding or unsung contributions to cricket scholarship. It is named after Howard Milton, the renowned cricket historian and statistician, who served as Honorary Librarian of The Cricket Society for more than 40 years.
The award celebrates excellence in cricket writing and research—whether academic or popular—and is determined by a panel from both awarding organisations.
The announcement was made at the British Society of Sports History’s annual conference, held this year at the University of Ulster from 20–22 August. The award will be formally presented at a special event at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 6 October 2025.
Previous recipients include Ramachandra Guha, the Sussex Cricket Museum, John Goulstone, and the Association of Cricket Statisticians & Historians.
