As part of a new collaboration between MCC and ICC Europe, an MCC Spirit of Cricket Award will be presented at each of the three ICC Europe Men’s Sub Regional World Cup Qualification events in Europe this summer.
The three awards are in addition to the main MCC Spirit of Cricket Award, which was created in 2013 by MCC and BBC to honour Christopher Martin-Jenkins and was awarded to Mel Jones, Catherine Ordway and Emma Staples in 2025 for being instrumental in the evacuation of the Afghanistan women’s team to Australia.
The three qualification events, which are part of the qualification pathway for the 2028 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, are taking place in Cyprus, Denmark and Finland and the recipient(s) will be any individual or team who best embodies the Spirit of Cricket through their behaviour, actions or performances.
Earlier this month, 10 countries participated in Cyprus, and MCC and ICC Europe were pleased to present the award to Nick Chimmunchlam, Cyprus Cricket’s Cricket Development Officer and Event Venue Manager for the week.
He was chosen for his demonstration of the core values of respect, fair play and fun whilst delivering six days of youth criiio festivals – a global cricket programme launched by ICC designed to celebrate the many ways the game can be played – during the event and by working collaboratively with all teams and partners during the qualifier last week.
Nick, who also acts as Head Coach of the Cyprus Women’s National Team, was tireless in his efforts to celebrate the sport and contributed to a successful qualifier event, making him a worthy winner of this inaugural award in Europe.
Andy Wright, ICC Regional Development Manager, Europe, presented the award in Cyprus and said: “We congratulate Nick on winning this award. His tireless, enthusiastic work with the hundreds of kids that took part in criiio festivals and celebrated the values of fair play throughout the week, and his wider support of the event to ensure it ran so smoothly on and off the field makes him a worthy winner. At one stage, Nick was even manning the sound system to create a great festival atmosphere during the final day!
“We’re also grateful to MCC for this new partnership as we continue to celebrate the Spirit of Cricket, something which we all hold so dear and which really separates us from so many other sports.”
Rob Lynch, Director of Cricket and Operations, said: “At MCC, we’re passionate about the game being played in the right way, and players across the globe are aware they should not only play within the Laws, but also safeguard its Spirit.
“But the Spirit of Cricket also extends way past the boundary line, and the efforts of those who promote the game, such as Nick, are worthy of recognition and we’re pleased to be working with ICC Europe on the initiative on three separate occasions this summer.
“As ever, we intend to present our main MCC Spirit of Cricket Award later this year and further celebrating those who epitomise fair play.”
On the pitch, Jersey defeated Guernsey in the final to progress to the final round of qualifying. There are two further Sub Regional Qualification events this summer, with awards due to be presented in Denmark in July and Finland in August.
