The Lancashire & Cheshire Cricket Society hosted a special event at Old Trafford on 16th February 2026, featuring Ashley Giles, the Chief Executive Officer of Worcestershire County Cricket Club and a former England Test cricketer.
Giles shared highlights from his extensive thirty-three-year involvement in cricket, spanning his experiences as a player and administrator. His career included two years working with Lancashire County Cricket Club. He mentioned his autobiography, a project which was neither ghost-written nor rushed, having taken him eighteen years to complete amidst his wife’s illness and his own full-time professional commitments. His publisher was Malcolm Thacker.
Born in Surrey, Ashley began his cricketing journey at Ripley Cricket Club, one of England’s oldest clubs, boasting over 275 years of history. He recalled fond memories from his time there, including meeting notable visitors such as Eric Clapton.
At the age of twelve, Ashley moved to Guildford Cricket Club, where he was coached by Brian Ruby—a passionate coach known for his colourful language. At Guildford, Ashley formed a close friendship with future Surrey player Ian Ward, and together they represented Surrey youths. In one memorable match, their team dismissed Berkshire for just nine runs and later bowled out Wirral Youths for 17, having themselves been dismissed for 45. Coaches Geoff Arnold and Chris Walter, both former first-class players, guided them through a demanding season in which Ashley played 77 days of cricket.
Injuries were part of Ashley’s journey; following a serious back problem, he switched from left-arm swing bowling to left-arm spin. His comeback began with the club’s third team, where he took 6 wickets for 27 runs in 11 overs. This performance led to his return to the first team as a spin bowler.
Despite his efforts, Ashley was not selected by Surrey County Cricket Club. Undeterred, and with encouragement from his father and brother, he successfully applied to join Warwickshire.
At Warwickshire, Neil Abberley was coach and Andy Lloyd captained the county side. Ashley soon discovered the club’s strict hierarchy, exemplified by the requirement for second team players and the first team’s twelfth man to change in the indoor school.
Subsequently, Bob Woolmer became county coach and Dermot Reeve took over as captain, a figure Ashley described as a great motivator.
Ashley made his debut for Warwickshire in 1995 and was awarded his county cap the following year. He toured Australia with the England “A” team in 1996, made his limited-overs international debut in 1997, and played his first Test match at Old Trafford against South Africa in 1998. Despite being dropped two weeks later, this period marked significant personal milestones, including meeting his future wife and scoring his first county century against Derbyshire.
A tour of Pakistan and Sri Lanka followed, with Nasser Hussain as captain and Duncan Fletcher as coach. Ashley initially sensed Hussain’s preference for Phil Tufnell, yet he valued Hussain’s passionate leadership. The introduction of central contracts brought greater security to players, and Ashley praised the addition of Kevin Pietersen to the team.
He then recounted the excitement of the 2005 Ashes Series. England were soundly beaten in the opening Test at Lord’s, but Michael Vaughan urged the team to ignore the press and focus on the Edgbaston Test. Andrew Flintoff noted that Australia’s team was not as strong as in the past. Following this, the atmosphere within the England camp transformed, although the team was disappointed to only draw at Old Trafford.
At Trent Bridge, Simon Jones took five wickets in Australia’s first innings, and Ashley with Matthew Hoggard were at the crease when England secured a three-wicket victory. The run-out of the Australian captain in the second innings proved pivotal, and Ashley described the on-field conversation with Hoggard as particularly amusing.
The decisive Test at The Oval ended in a draw, ensuring England reclaimed the Ashes. Ashley recalled a quiet dinner with teammates and their wives on the fourth evening, followed by a tense lunch the next day as England faced the prospect of defeat. Kevin Pietersen’s century, however, guaranteed England’s safety.
During the event, Ashley responded to audience questions, including the story of mugs produced in his honour. The mugs bore the title ‘King of Spain’ due to a misprint, instead of the intended ‘King of Spin’.
He rated Dermot Reeve, Michael Vaughan, and Nasser Hussain as excellent captains. Ashley touched on the challenges of dealing with criticism and the prevalence of depression among cricketers, admitting he struggled with depression after losing his England place.
Ashley identified several promising young batsmen, naming Dan Latigan as one. He advocated for management approaches that protect players, such as implementing curfews, but cautioned that England is not developing enough talent to win Test series in Australia or India. He also called for improvements to pitches and for the encouragement of more high-quality cricket. Nevertheless, he acknowledged the importance of ‘The Hundred’, noting that some counties might not survive without it.
Ashley concluded his talk with a humorous account of the post-Ashes celebrations in 2005, leaving the audience both entertained and reflective on his remarkable career.
Victor Black