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Introducing… John Overton, Cricket Operations Executive at Surrey County Cricket Club

As part of our ‘A Life In Cricket’ Campaign, we will be talking about the passionate and committed individuals who work in cricket.

In this episode we meet John, who tells us about his career to date and why he’d recommend a career in cricket to a young person.

Watch John’s video below and keep scrolling to learn more about John and his career.

How did you originally get into cricket?

Cricket was always part of my family life when I was growing up, my Dad in particular loves the sport and would take me to test matches every Summer, I really didn’t have much choice but to love the sport too. We would spend our Summer holidays playing cricket in the park and on the beach. When I was old enough I joined my local club in Sheffield and played junior and adult cricket there until leaving for University.

What did you do before you worked in cricket?

I did a Sports degree at University, writing my dissertation on the gender disparity in cricket. Upon leaving University this research helped me secure a graduate internship at England Cricket, working in their Participation team.

Before joining Surrey you worked for England Cricket, how was that?

Working at England Cricket was a great experience, I worked in a number of departments but ended up in the England Cricket Operations team – helping with the administration and logistical delivery for all the England teams, but mainly focussed on the England Men and Women’s team. I loved working with some of the best cricketers and coaches in the world, as a huge cricket fan it was great to see how they operated ‘behind the scenes’. Playing a (very) small part in the 2017 and 2019 World Cup wins was definitely a highlight!

When did you first join Surrey?

I joined the Surrey Cricket Foundation team as a Club Support Officer in 2021 – it was a really rewarding role, helping clubs grow and increasing opportunities for people from all backgrounds to play cricket.

Why did you join Surrey?

Having worked in Cricket since 2013 I knew plenty of people who had worked at Surrey and from their experience I knew what a great club it was to work for. Upon leaving my old role I was keen to stay involved in Cricket and the opportunity to work for Surrey was a great one for me personally.

What is it like working with professional athletes?

The team at Surrey are brilliant to work with, it’s a privilege to work closely with some of the best cricketers in the country. Watching the amount of work the players and support staff put in throughout the year drives you to be the best at your job too.

What do you most enjoy about your current role?

I love the variety that my role has, every day is different and can present a new challenge. As a massive cricket fan, working in a job that I have a genuine passion for is a privilege and I consider myself very lucky to be doing it.

What are you most looking forward to in your role this year?

Watching how we go about defending our County Championship title in 2023 and looking to win the t20 Blast by playing a really exciting brand of cricket will be great fun. Away from Surrey I will be managing the Operations for our Men’s Hundred franchise team Oval Invincibles and I’m really looking forward to the challenge of working with cricketers from different parts of the country and the globe as they try to win their first Hundred title.

To learn more about the ‘A Life In Cricket’ campaign, click here

To learn more about the Surrey Cricket Foundation, click here