Howell wins 2025 PCA Inclusion Award

Former Hampshire all-rounder Benny Howell has been named winner of the 2025 PCA Inclusion Award for championing neurodiversity in cricket.

As part of Hampshire’s commitment to serving the local community, Howell provided a private coaching session to a young fan, Theo, a child living with autism. This was part of a new community initiative between the club and Connect It Utility Services named the Champions Programme.

The 37-year-old remains a huge advocate of making the sport more inclusive for people who are neurodivergent by being open about his own ADHD journey, hoping to inspire the next generation and overcome their challenges to succeed in the path they choose to pursue.

Howell becomes only the second recipient of a personalised silver-plated victory wreath-edge bowl from Mappin & Webb. The Bordeaux-born player was in attendance at the annual PCA Christmas in the Lord’s Long Room to accept his accolade.

The new Nottinghamshire recruit played a crucial role in guiding Hampshire to the finals of the Vitality Blast this summer. He picked up 16 wickets and scored 135 runs as they suffered a narrow defeat to Somerset in the showpiece game at Edgbaston earlier in the summer.

Meanwhile, recently retired Essex batter Nick Browne finished runner-up to Howell. The left-hander also helped support and uplift the community whilst being a role model for young cricketers looking to make a name for themselves. The 34-year-old has used the medium of cricket to engage with communities and spend time with school children and venerable adults in listening to their stories.

The PCA Inclusion Award was introduced in 2024 as an initiative to recognise current professional cricketers from the 18 Professional Counties who have demonstrated inclusive practices in their everyday behaviour, who uphold the game’s values, and whose actions have significantly progressed inclusion both on and off the field of play.

The PCA continues to champion inclusion in cricket in England and Wales and takes immense pride in seeing the members share similar ambitions away from the field which deserves to be recognised.

Former Essex seamer and Browne’s teammate Aaron Beard was the inaugural winner of the PCA Inclusion Award. The 28-year-old served his home county is many ways, including supporting disability programmes, mentoring younger players and uplifting children from low socio-economic backgrounds to take up the sport.

After winning the 2025 PCA Inclusion Award, Benny Howell said: “It is always nice to be recognised with an award. To be recognised for helping out others and giving back to the society means a lot to me.

“As I get older and come towards the end of my career, I want to give back in any way I can whether that is through by being a good person, coaching youngsters or by helping people who like myself who have challenges. I personally have ADHD and I am sure there are others going through similar or slightly different challenges but challenges, nonetheless.

“It is not about having sympathy. It is about people understanding how everyone’s brains work compared to mine, not only how to deal with that but actually how to manage it and build strategies to only survive but thrive with it. There will be other kids with ADHD, autism or dyslexia so I want to make everyone around them aware that there is a reason for some of their actions. To be able to get the best out of someone, you need to be able to understand it first which is why I have been sharing my story with ADHD.”

PCA’s Director of People, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Donna Fraser OBE, said: “I would like to congratulate Benny Howell and Hampshire in their efforts to make our game more inclusive for younger generations who are neurodivergent.

“The PCA aims to recognise our members’ off-field efforts, especially around making our sport accessible to the wider society, something both Benny and Nick Browne have been very passionate about, not just in 2025 but throughout their careers.”