One of the standout performers during England Lions' recent victory over Sri Lanka was Leicestershire’s 6ft 7in left-arm pacer, Josh Hull, whose five-wicket haul earned him a Test call-up. But the true spotlight belonged to Zaman Akhter and the remarkable story of the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA).
Akhter, a towering fast bowler himself, claimed seven wickets for the Lions, a career-defining achievement that owes much to the opportunities provided by the Academy. Just 18 months ago, Akhter’s cricket journey seemed stalled despite stints with Derbyshire, Warwickshire, and Essex’s second XIs. At 23, he had already played first-class cricket for Oxford MCCU but struggled to find consistent chances. The Academy gave him that break.
Tom Brown, the managing director of SACA, founded the program based on his PhD research at Birmingham City University, which examined the under-representation of British South Asians in professional cricket. His study revealed that white, privately educated cricketers were 34 times more likely to play professionally compared to their state-educated South Asian peers. Instead of allowing this disparity to widen, Brown, along with former England bowler Kabir Ali, created SACA in an effort to level the playing field.
Now in its third year, the Academy offers players over 18 the chance to compete against county second XIs, hoping to catch the attention of county scouts and earn professional contracts. Akhter joined SACA in early 2023, moving into a shared house in Birmingham with other aspiring cricketers, training at Edgbaston to prepare for the season. He quickly impressed during a showcase event, attracting interest from multiple counties, and by March, he had secured a contract with Gloucestershire.
Since then, Akhter has played across all three formats for Gloucestershire, claiming the wickets of stars like Joe Root and Harry Brook. His potential has now led to a call-up to the England Lions, with hopes of an England cap growing. Brown commented that the current England setup is refreshing, as selectors aren’t solely focused on first-class averages but are open to talent and excitement, regardless of experience.
Akhter isn’t SACA’s only success story. Kashif Ali, the program’s first graduate, has been averaging over 50 with the bat in Division One for Worcestershire. Leg-spinner Jafer Chohan recently signed a Big Bash contract after an impressive season in the T20 Blast with Yorkshire, and Zen Malik made his debut for Warwickshire after becoming the 10th SACA player to secure a professional contract.
When Brown first launched the Academy, it operated on a shoestring budget, awaiting support from the ECB, which finally arrived last year. The partnership has allowed the Academy to expand, setting up regional hubs in Birmingham, Bristol, and Bradford, with players housed together and accessing top-level coaching. Brown now manages around 65 players, balancing several roles, including social media and coaching.
Brown described one of the Academy’s proudest moments when they fielded 39 players across matches against Yorkshire and Essex second XIs simultaneously, winning both games and showcasing the depth of talent in the program.
While the Academy’s success is undeniable, Brown’s vision is for it to be a temporary solution. The aim is to run the program for no longer than six years, long enough to prove that British South Asian players have the talent to thrive at the professional level. However, Brown emphasises that for real change, the professional system itself must be fixed. “If we go beyond that, we’re not actually solving the problem—we’re just being relied upon,” he explained.
The Academy also aims to focus more on women’s cricket, supporting research at Birmingham City University to explore the challenges faced by British South Asian women in the sport. Brown acknowledges that women’s representation is just as poor, if not worse, than men’s and hopes to launch a similar “intervention” program to tackle the issue.
Despite the Academy’s rapid progress, the road to fully addressing the inequalities in English cricket is long, but programs like SACA are proving that change is possible.