He claims he has received no support from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and wishes for an investigation akin to the Sheldon Report in football. Former Durham junior coach and scout Michael Strange abused ‘David,’ who cannot be identified for legal reasons, while he was playing for a local club. Strange, 62, of Gateshead, has been convicted of sexually abusing young players he coached four times in the last decade. He pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting David in 2015 and received a three-year prison sentence the following year. He was sentenced to six years in prison in 2012 for the abuse of three boys dating back to the 1990s. He was sentenced to an additional four and a half years in prison in 2020 for indecently assaulting another boy, and he was sentenced to an additional 40 months this year for two indecent assaults. David believes that abusers like Strange have been involved in other clubs across the country. After former players waived their anonymity to speak out about the abuse they suffered at the hands of coaches Barry Bennell, Bob Higgins, and others, the Football Association (FA) commissioned the independent Sheldon Report into historic sex abuse allegations. The review, which was published in 2021, identified institutional failings at the FA and within clubs, claiming that warning signs were overlooked due to “ignorance and naivety.” In 2017, the ECB chose not to conduct an independent inquiry, instead relying on a review conducted by independent ECB directors, and it has not commissioned an independent review specifically focused on Strange. “I think it would be beneficial,” David said, “to hold a Sheldon-style review.” The publicity that may prompt someone to speak out is preferable to doing nothing at all.” Durham County Cricket Club has been contacted for comment, while the ECB stated that Strange was permanently barred from all cricket activity in 2006 and that it does not have information on subsequent offences, which were handled by the police. “We are deeply disturbed by the abuse ‘David’ suffered and the impact it has had on him since,” an ECB spokesperson said. Nobody should ever have to go through what he went through.” We are collaborating with statutory agencies to develop a detailed chronology in the intervening years, to the extent that those agencies are willing to share information with us.” Everyone should feel safe while playing cricket, and the ECB prioritises safety. The ECB has executive and board safeguarding leads, as well as a dedicated safeguarding team that supports the network of trained safeguarding roles across all counties and clubs. Furthermore, a new safeguarding strategy will be published soon that incorporates all of the Sheldon Report’s recommendations, the majority of which were already implemented or in progress prior to the Sheldon Report’s publication.” Anyone with concerns should contact their club, county safeguarding officer, ECB Safeguarding team, or the NSPCC child protection helpline at 0808 800 5000.