The Ian Jackson Award for Services to Cricket

The Ian Jackson Award for Services to Cricket

2023 The Committee of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket

Recipients of this Award are chosen by the Executive Committee of The Cricket Society. 

The award commemorates the memory of Ian Jackson, a former Chair of The Cricket Society, who died suddenly in 2008 after only a short period as our Chair. Ian had a strikingly enthusiastic attitude to life, with his love for and commitment to cricket shining through. 

One of England’s best loved players, Jack Russell is fondly remembered for his long and successful cricket career from 1981 to 2004 for Gloucestershire (375 first-class matches/431 List A) and for England (54 Tests/40 ODIs). He is acknowledged as the best English wicketkeeper of his generation with 165 Test dismissals and 1320 in first-class cricket. He scored two Test centuries (against Australia and India) and 11 first-class centuries in total with a first-class average of over 30. As nightwatchman he scored 94 on his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 1988. In a remarkable all-round display in the Johannesburg Test against South Africa in 1995, Jack took a record eleven dismissals and then scored an epic 29* in 4 and a half hours to save the Test with Mike Atherton. In 1996 he joined the select group of cricketers who have been appointed an MBE for services to cricket. 

Following his playing career Jack has made a highly successful career as a professional artist and is widely acknowledged as the best cricket artist of his generation. The Jack Russell Gallery is situated on the High Street in the picturesque town of Chipping Sodbury in South Gloucestershire. Since 2018 the Chris Beetles Gallery in Ryder Street, London has held an annual exhibition of Jack’s work.

The Cricket Society Committee believes Jack is the perfect recipient of the Ian Jackson Award 2024 and we are delighted that Jack has accepted the award.