Cricket Lawyers

Our specialist services support the rapidly expanding and evolving legal and commercial landscape of cricket.

Legal Business Awards 2025, Regional/Offshore Firm of the Year, Winner trophy badge with black background and gold, blue and white text and accents.

Our lawyers provide cricket-specific legal expertise to help county boards, franchises, investors, players and coaches seamlessly navigate opportunities and risks.

Our clients include many elite teams and sportspeople including Michael Vaughan OBE and Ben Stokes OBE, as well as The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Cricket in England and Wales is undergoing unprecedented change. With over two-and-a-half million fans attending The Hundred in its first five years, the ECB is seeing the results of innovation while encountering a whole host of new legal and commercial challenges.

From franchise rebranding and concerns over IP rights to growing disparities between host and non-host counties, the need for tailored legal guidance is urgent. Many counties are exploring private ownership models while others face pressure to remain competitive amid media rights uncertainties and declining central revenues.

At the same time, cricket is expanding its reach through disability inclusion, digital transformation and new forms of fan engagement — all of which require clear legal frameworks to protect stakeholders and sustain momentum.

Our cricket team stands at the heart of these developments. We bring a cross-disciplinary, cross-sport model rooted in governance, commercial law and sports technology advisory — enabling us to deliver both technical and strategic support as cricket evolves.

This forms part of our wider, multi-award-winning sports law team, which is recognised nationally and internationally as one of the largest and most experienced multidisciplinary legal teams in the industry. We're ranked in the top tier of The Legal 500 for sports law and commended in The Times Best Law Firms 2024.

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Our services for cricket

Our cricket-focused legal experts

Highly experienced employment lawyer Lydia Edgar leads our sports sector team. She's a specialist in advising governing bodies, international federations, county associations, clubs, athletes and players on a wide range of matters including HR strategy planning, executive appointments and terminations, restructuring, Employment Tribunal and High Court litigation.

Multi-award-winning regulatory, safeguarding, athlete eligibility, anti-doping and general commercial litigation expert Catherine Forshaw has significant experience in advising national governing bodies and sports clubs in relation to their regulatory frameworks and associated policies and procedures.

Experienced corporate lawyer Ruth Hargreaves leads our national governing bodies group and advises an array of sports organisations on constitutional and corporate governance matters as well as acquisitions, mergers, disposals and investments. She works closely with fellow corporate lawyer Richard Hepworth, a longstanding legal advisor to the Greater Manchester Cricket League who has also acted for various cricket clubs, boards and professional cricketers on matters including player deals, sponsorship, corporate governance, disputes, grant and funding arrangements, rule reviews, new club assessments, regulation implementation and breaches.

Paul Lunt is a highly regarded and multi-award-winning sports lawyer known for handling high-profile disputes quickly and successfully. He acts for clients in sporting arbitrations, regulatory disciplinary proceedings and High Court civil claims. He also advises on media-related issues including defamation, privacy and reputation management. As the ‘go to’ lawyer for many high-profile clients in difficult times, Paul has successfully represented the likes of Coleen Rooney (when she was sued by Rebekah Vardy in the ‘Wagatha Christie’ case), England cricketers Ben Stokes and Michael Vaughan and the Commonwealth Games Federation.

Meet the team

Specialist cricket lawyers

Lydia Edgar

Partner, Head of Sports sector

Ruth Hargreaves

Partner

Paul Lunt

Partner

Call our experts today

Recognised as a top-tier firm in The Legal 500 2025

“Brabners maintains its stellar reputation for handling the full scope of sports mandates concerning sporting events, the eligibility and inclusion of transgender athletes and claims involving racism charges and libel.”
The Legal 500 2025

“Lydia Edgar leads the [sport] team, and is noted for her vast knowledge of the employment aspects of sport, assisting national governing bodies (NGB), owners and athletes with appointments and exit agreements.”
The Legal 500 2025

Cricket insights from our lawyers

8 December 2025

Can The Hundred challenge the IPL? 6 potential key changes explained in new era for English cricket

A cricket player in white pads and gloves attempts a shot with a bat, while another player, also in white, stands nearby on a grassy field.

2025 could well be remembered as the ‘end of the beginning’ for The Hundred.

19 November 2025

Women’s cricket prize money nearly quadruples as the sport becomes a magnet for global investment

A girl in a cricket uniform, wearing a helmet and pads, is preparing to hit a cricket ball with a bat on a grassy field with trees in the background.

We explore how women’s cricket is evolving and what that means for the sport’s future on and off the field.

5 August 2025

How The Hundred’s £520m investment is a catalyst for community-focused regeneration

A red cricket ball with white stitching resting on a wooden cricket bat on a grassy field.

We explore how The Hundred's landmark £520m investment could support the regeneration of historic grounds that help local communities to thrive.

26 June 2025

State of Play Conference 2025 — how to leverage sports technology

At the State of Play Conference 2025, leading voices from across the sport sector shared their insights on the topic of sports technology.

10 June 2025

How breakaway & challenger leagues are redefining the sports landscape

Sport and entertainment are becoming increasingly intertwined, with sports and leagues forced to innovate to keep pace with trends.

15 May 2025

AI in elite sport — key legal considerations around ‘performance enhancing technology’

Close up of an athletes trainers while using performance enhancing sport technology

AI is enhancing performance and even scouting future talent in elite sport. Sports technology and data are key to success, but come with legal risks.

8 May 2025

Martyn’s Law — legal & regulatory implications for sports venues

Here's what sports clubs and event organisers need to know about Martyn’s Law.

17 April 2025

Supreme Court’s landmark gender ruling — a defining moment for sports governance

Find out what the Supreme Court’s ruling means for policymakers, sportspeople and grassroots sport.

28 March 2025

The Hundred’s financial expansion — a new era for English cricket?

The Hundred hit the headlines after receiving a £975m investment boost. Our sports law team takes a closer look at how it’ll be used and the impact it may have on domestic cricket in England and Wales.

23 January 2025

Transgender athlete participation — navigating data protection laws when collecting sensitive personal data

Athletes might be asked to provide highly sensitive forms of personal data when competing. Here's eight steps to comply with data protection legislation.

7 October 2024

Enabling digital transformation in sport — the legal pitfalls around data, security and regulation

Our sports technology team scan the horizon of technological development and outline the key legal considerations that sports regulators, governors and organisations must address at the outset of digital transformation.

20 September 2024

Rezzil — the fast-growing sports tech business set to transform injury prevention, treatment and recovery

We spoke with Rezzil's founder Andy Etches to find out how virtual technology may be increasingly used in injury prevention, treatment and recovery.

8 July 2024

Changes to non-dom tax regime set to drive foreign sportspeople to leave the UK

Football caught in the back of the net square

Our private client law team explore the proposed changes to the non-dom regime and how they could impact sportspeople.

1 May 2024

State of Play 2024 — sports stars explore the latest developments in athlete welfare

Our annual State of Play conference brought together leading voices and decision-makers from across the world of sport to discuss athlete welfare.

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Case highlights

Michael Vaughan OBE

Representing Michael Vaughan OBE (former England cricket captain and broadcaster) in connection with allegations made against him as part of the Yorkshire Country Cricket Club (Azeem Rafiq) racism scandal. Vaughan was cleared of all charges brought against him before the Cricket Disciplinary Commission panel.

Ben Stokes OBE

Representing Ben Stokes OBE (England international cricketer and test team captain) and his mother (Deborah Stokes) in connection with their invasion of privacy claim against News Group Newspapers Limited (The Sun), securing substantial damages and an apology from the defendant.

Brabners is a purpose-led independent law firm.

Our independence allows us to be objective, principled and provide a service with heart and personality.

We’re on a mission to make the difference for our clients, people and communities. Proudly anchored in the North since 1815, we serve all of England and Wales.