Unsung Norfolk cricket hero honoured at Lord’s

A Norfolk cricket hero headed to Lord’s this summer to watch a major match as a special guest of MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) President Ed Smith as part of an exclusive hospitality experience, after being named a 2026 MCC Community Cricket Hero. 

Richard Ellis, aged 77, is a community cricket hero for the Hethersett and Tass valley cricket club in Norfolk.  

Cricket has been part of Richards life since he was young, when there was no cricket at school and no local youth set-up in his village. When his two sons wanted to play, they joined the local club who had a youth setup. The lads along with their friends were all good players, but the lack of facilities hindered their progress.  To play a better standard of cricket on safe pitches meant they had to leave their local club, friends and cricket community. Richard hated to see this happen, so he went about building his own pitch, pavilion, changing facilities. He produced a ground which allowed for a higher standard and more competitive cricket meaning the talented youth could then progress in house.  The first match played on the new ground was in 2003 and since then they have expanded to two full sized pitches, running 5 adult Saturday teams, a fantastic youth setup, ladies’ teams, over 40s teams, and now they are playing in the Norfolk Alliance Premier League and also host county representative games.  

The Community Cricket Heroes campaign, which is run in partnership with The Cricketer magazine, launched in 2023 and takes cricket back to where it began for many. It celebrates the grassroots game and the thousands of people who support it and make it happen, rewarding 11 unsung grassroots cricket heroes who go above and beyond to keep local cricket clubs thriving. 

None of the excitement in the professional game exists without what happens on a Saturday morning at local clubs across the nation. That’s where people fall in love with cricket, and where its future is really built. 

Now in its fourth year, a team of 11 heroes were named by MCC and The Cricketer from nominations received from across the UK. A judging panel, which included of Ricky Reynolds (Head of Programmes, MCC), Arfan Akram (MCC Committee), Huw Turbervill (Editor, The Cricketer), Izzy Gurney (Programme Manager & Safeguarding Lead, MCC Foundation), Lizzy Ammon (Cricket News Reporter, The Times) and Mike Gatting (former England & Middlesex captain) made the selection. 

From inspiring others on and off the pitch, overcoming real adversity to stay involved in the sport, or giving years of quiet, dedicated service to a club, MCC and the judging panel are delighted to recognise those who keep the grassroots game ticking. 

Richard joined the Community Cricket Heroes at Lord’s for England’s Test against Pakistan, that ran from Thursday 27 to Monday 31 August 2026, the second of a three-match series and the current World Test Championship cycle. 

Richard said “It feels great to be recognised as MCC’s Community Cricket Hero and I feel very touched that members of the club have thought to nominate me for MCC Community Cricket Hero. I started the journey by building the ground and facilities and my ongoing support, but it is also the tireless work of others on the committee and behind the scenes that allow for this all to happen and help allow the provision of cricket for all.”   

MCC President, Ed Smith, said:   

“Cricket’s true depth lies in these grassroots stories, and this year’s heroes are a brilliant reminder of that. Their dedication, often given quietly and without recognition, is exactly what keeps the game alive in communities up and down the country.  

“I hope their time at Lord’s watching the Test match was a fitting recognition of their commitment to our wonderful game.”  

Editor of The Cricketer, Huw Turbervill, added:  

“Our XI 2026 MCC Community Cricket Heroes are a thoroughly deserving group. From all of us who play club cricket, thank you for being the glue of our local grassroots community, we know we wouldn’t be able to do it without you. You deserve to be heroes in the President’s Suite at Lord’s. Congratulations from all of us at The Cricketer, and it has once again been fantastic to be a part of this brilliant inactive with MCC.”  

Credit to Jed Leicester / MCC