The Government’s antisemitism tsar has welcomed English football’s new equality code, arguing that something similar should now be introduced in cricket.

It comes as the Football Association, which runs the domestic leagues and cup competitions for both women and men, said it would be addressing a “longstanding challenge” of limited diversity, with a special focus to be placed on recruitment.

The initiative was driven by campaigners for “proper representation of Black and Asian footballers at every level of the game, has been greatly inspired by the Black Lives Matters movement”.

Antisemitism advisor Lord Mann, in a joint statement issued on Tuesday with Imam Qari Asim, the Government’s advisor on the definition of Islamophobia, said the England and Wales Cricket Board should now adopt “a similar initiative”.