CRICKET'S governing body must make sure it does more to increase inclusivity, according to its chief executive.

ECB chief Tom Harrison said the board must lead the charge in creating a game which has inclusivity at its heart and "not as an impulsive response to something."

Mr Harrison was speaking after a raft of measures aimed at increasing diversity in the sport were announced by the ECB on July 7.

Measures include the introduction of a coaching bursary for future black coaches and a game-wide anti-discrimination charter.

First-class counties are also being recommended to adopt the 'Rooney Rule' - which has been used by the ECB since 2018 and requires at least one person from a minority background to be interviewed for each position advertised.

Mr Harrison admitted the game has had to confront some "uncomfortable truths in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement" but denied the announcement is a knee-jerk response to that.

He said: "I don't think this is just about the black community, this is about inclusion and diversity as a whole.

"This has been a time of huge reflection, not just our organisation but for me personally.

"I recognise that we are not where we should be as a sport and admittedly as a society too.

"What we're trying to create at the ECB is an organisation and a game that is inclusive by design, it's in our DNA, it's not an impulsive response to something.

"This feels a little impulsive at the moment but the fact of the matter is we have been working on inclusion and diversity as part of a central theme of inspiring generations for years.

"This is a useful opportunity for us to remind ourselves how serious and important this work is.

"I genuinely don't think there is anything more important for us because if we're not relevant to the communities that we serve then we're all we doing is serving a declining market.

"That's something we need to take stock of."

Last month, former Worcestershire batsman Vikram Solanki took the reins at Surrey to become the only head coach among the 18 first-class counties from a diverse background.

It is a similar story at the ECB, where only one of its 12 board members is from a BAME background, but the organisation is intent on increasing the ethnic diversity.

It is also looking at leadership structures throughout the game and is striving for at least 30 per cent female representation and a diverse target guided by the make-up of the local population.

Harrison added: "It's easy to think that if you've got a splattering of cricketers or role models from a certain community across the game, you can easily think you don't have a problem.

"It's very clear that at junior levels and academies and county age groups, we're not getting this right.

"It takes authentic effort, proper understanding of the issues and then a long and committed drive to reverse it. It will take a long time but it absolutely has to happen."