Founder | ACE Programme

Broadcast Commentator

From the streets of south London to the pinnacle of international cricket, Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent MBE has redefined what it means to be a trailblazer in sport. “I was the only girl in a group of fifty boys running around,” she recalls of her first cricket session at age 10, a chance encounter that would set the trajectory of her life. Today, she is a World Cup-winning former England cricketer, broadcaster, and administrator, driving innovation and equity across cricket globally.

Rainford-Brent’s early life was marked by resilience, navigating adversity while excelling academically and athletically. “I just started playing as a community program, street cricket… one girl, which was me,” she explains, reflecting on how formative mentorship and opportunity shaped her journey. Her talent quickly earned her a spot in Surrey’s youth system, leading to a decade-long international career highlighted by the 2009 ICC Women’s World Cup and the 2009 ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup victories.

Despite career-threatening back injuries, Rainford-Brent’s determination never wavered. “It taught me a lot about having to rebuild myself because you’re being told by the doctors like, you won’t play sport again,” she shares. Her grit on the field translated into leadership off it. She became Surrey County Cricket Club’s first Director of Women’s Cricket, driving professionalization, talent pathways, and commercial growth for the women’s game. She also founded the African-Caribbean Engagement (ACE) Programme in 2020, a transformative initiative that has engaged over 40,000 young people and created accessible pathways for underrepresented communities in cricket.

A prominent media voice, Rainford-Brent has broken barriers as one of the first female expert commentators on BBC Radio’s Test Match Special and Sky Sports, delivering insights on both men’s and women’s cricket with authority and nuance. “The visibility that we will see through this upcoming World Cup is most likely going be the most viewed… it’s incredible to think that women can be so visible and have that platform which they deserve,” she emphasizes.

Her advocacy extends to confronting racism and promoting equity in cricket. Rainford-Brent has publicly challenged discriminatory practices and remains committed to systemic change. Recognized for her contributions, she was appointed MBE in 2021, received a BAFTA for sports broadcasting, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Loughborough University in 2023. Now serving as a non-executive director on the ECB board, she continues to shape the future of cricket, blending performance, leadership, and cultural insight into a transformative vision for the sport.