A new community gallery showcasing cricket and its links with different communities has opened at Lord’s in London. The first exhibition, titled Cricket and the Jewish Community, was curated by two Jewish Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) members, Zaki Cooper and Daniel Lightman, together with the MCC Heritage & Collection Department. Cricket clothing and equipment, artwork, books, video, and other material tell the story of how the Jewish community has contributed to the game of cricket and addresses anti-Semitism in cricket, including some Jewish cricketers’ experiences. The exhibition features the stories of well-known international and first-class cricketers from Australia, England, Ireland, South Africa, and the West Indies.
The exhibition will be held in a rotating display of different communities’ bonds with cricket, with the aim of exploring the connections between cricket and community identity at all levels. The first exhibition highlights how Jews have contributed to cricket, both on and off the field. Jewish athletes have played Test cricket for Australia and South Africa, including some who played for the West Indies. Jewish batters have also scored centuries for the West Indies, Ireland, and Scotland. Female Jewish players have been capped by Australia, England, and Ireland. Jews have also served as umpires, administrators, journalists, patrons, and have helped to develop the commercial side of the game. They have even baked cakes for Test Match Special.
The exhibition features various people, including Norman Gordon, the first openly Jewish Test cricketer, and the first Test cricketer to live to 100, and Fred Trueman, the great Yorkshire and England fast bowler who claimed to have discovered he was Jewish towards the end of his life. The exhibition also includes the ball with which Fiery Fred became the first man to take 300 Test wickets. Players Aileen Cohen, Michael Klinger and Mandy Yachad including Steven Reingold, who played for Glamorgan in 2021 were also highlighted at the exhibition.
