Nine months into her tenure at the helm of Cricket Scotland, Trudy Lindblade is in reflective mood.
The CEO — an Australian with cricket in her heart — has had a baptism of fire since taking over the beleaguered organisation earlier this year.
Some less hardy individuals may have walked away, given up on the ideology of making Scottish cricket a bigger, better, more positive place to be.
Yet, there’s a will and a determination about Lindblade that overrides any sense of capitulation.
Cricket Scotland — deemed to be institutionally racist by a Changing the Boundaries Report in 2022 — has been pelted from all angles and had to face significant criticism over claims of discrimination and sexism as well as racism.
Trudy Lindblade has been in her role for just nine month and admits it has been ‘challenging’
The governing body is now trying to rebuild with the launch of a new strategy, setting out a vision for a more inclusive organisation, with equality, women’s cricket, sporting success and trust at its heart.
For Lindblade, it’s about looking to the future — and providing a welcoming space where all can feel part of the change. No mean task, when faced with the issues of the past.
The independent review into institutional racism, which was published two years ago, found 448 examples of racism and discrimination in Scottish cricket. Five referrals have progressed to disciplinary procedures.
Meanwhile, the McKinney report — commissioned by Cricket Scotland — highlighted prejudice and sexism in the women’s game.
More recently, other allegations of discrimination have emerged, with former Scotland cricketer Hamza Tahir launching a grievance claim against the organisation and retiring from the international process altogether after failing to have his contract renewed.
Lindblade is under no illusion that it has been a difficult period for the organisation. On a personal level, it has also taken its toll.
‘It has certainly been difficult at times,’ she admitted. ‘Before I came into the role, I’d seen obviously what I’d read in the media and, you know, that’s only one part of it, isn’t it? I had to think, what does this role mean? Am I the right person that can do this for Cricket Scotland, given the challenges it faces?
Lindblade meets players at Nairn County Cricket Club’s 150th anniversary celebrations
Lindblade insists that community cricket and players are the lifeblood of the sport
It was estimated in 2017 that around 17,000 people play cricket recreationally in Scotland
‘However, I’ve done challenging things before and I have a real belief. I looked at the opportunities that I think Cricket Scotland has and Scottish cricket has. There is a lot of opportunity out there that we need to tap into and we just need the information that helps support that. I knew it would be challenging. It’s been more challenging than I could have anticipated.
‘I have had some challenging days in the first six months, probably more than one or two. But I continue to look forward and to look at opportunity, and I’m inspired by the people around us.
‘We have a really resilient, Scottish cricket club community who continue to play cricket over the summer.
‘The people drive me, and Scottish cricket has lots of good people in it. That’s why I’m really excited about this strategy, because it is about uniting our communities. Our communities and clubs are the lifeblood of our sport. Without them, we don’t put our current generation of heroes on the field and we certainly don’t put out our future heroes. So that’s really important.’
Scotland women players celebrate a wicket against Ireland during a T20 World Cup qualifier
Brandon McMullen hails a fine half-century during Scotland’s fine display against Australia
The former CEO of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships is clearly on a mission to drive the sport forward in a more enlightened manner. Walking away, she insists, is not in her DNA.
‘I’m not the type of person that will give up easily,’ Lindblade insisted. ‘I’ve been called stubborn by one of my previous peers and colleagues and sometimes I’ve thought about that comment.
‘It has been hard, but I really want to see the success of Scottish cricket. I think it’s there. I think we’ve got all the ingredients. We just need to make sure we get everyone coming together and having a collective vision. And that’s the hard part.
‘When you have been through such challenging times as we have, there’s no underestimating that. But look at what’s been happening on the field; the women qualifying for their first ever World Cup later this year in Bangladesh; just last week, two great performances with Michael English with his century and Charlie Cassell with his 7-21. They are such inspiring moments and things that we don’t probably talk well enough about — because we are limited on our resource.
‘There are so many great stories that happen at club level and through our programmes of young girls and boys picking up a bat and ball for the first time, those from disadvantaged communities and the charitable partners that we work with through the Lord’s Taverners, through Beyond Boundaries.’
Success on — and off — the field, is certainly a vital element. The new strategy will put even more emphasis on bringing more women and girls into that party.
‘Women and girls will be a key focus for us,’ said Lindblade. ‘And that’s not just creating the next generation of superstars and elite players. That’s actually looking across the spectrum of the women and girls game.
Katherine Fraser and Abatha Maqsood celebrate after the Scots qualified for the World Cup
‘So, everything from volunteering to match officials to coaches, how do we get more women and girls involved in the game and providing them the inspiration and the pathways for them to join at whatever level they want to?
‘Then it would be us taking the work that we’ve done over the last couple of years and making sure that equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to everything that we do. And we have that lens across all of our activities.
‘So, you’ll see that sits in our organisational strategy, but a separate EDI (equality, diversion and inclusion) strategy and action plan will be released very soon as well.
‘Part of it, also, is making sure that, on the pitch, we are creating success. It’s not about one-offs, it’s about sustainable performance.
‘So, making sure what we’re putting in place is looking to a long-term future so that we’re regularly competing on the world stage for World Cups for men and women.
‘We have learned a lot of lessons and we need to do more in becoming an effective governing body.’
