Put it this way – I wouldn’t get anywhere near being selected for the current England team,” says former England cricket captain Clare Connor, when asked to describe how women’s cricket has developed over the past decade.
“The last few years have been remarkable. We’ve gone from being a completely amateur sport to having a fully fledged, professional England team. We used to have very little televised cricket, but last year every ball of the women’s Ashes was televised live on Sky Sports and broadcast on BBC radio.”
SUPER STUFF Connor, who received an OBE for captaining England to victory against Australia in 2005, is now the person tasked with taking the women’s game to the next level. She’s the director of women’s cricket at England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) – responsible not only for the national team, but also for the women’s domestic league set up and for growing the number of female cricketers at grassroots level.
As part of her plans to improve the sport, she’s masterminded the new Women’s Cricket Super League, a six-team tournament set to launch in July this year. The ambition is for the new league to attract the best cricketers from around the world, creating a more competitive environment for English female players and increasing the visibility of women’s cricket.
Connor says getting the league up and running has been one of her greatest career achievements. “It took over, probably, a third of my working life over the last year,” she says. “It’s been really challenging and we’ve had a lot of work to do – preparation, planning and contractual work with the tender process – without ever being 100 per cent sure whether the league would happen. There were many things which could have derailed it along the way – if the bids from the teams hadn’t been good enough, for example.
“I’m really proud that we’ve made it and once the competition gets going I won’t be as hands-on as I was in the planning stage – although ultimately I’ll be accountable and the buck will stop with me!”
THREE Ps Connor says the league will be based on three ‘Ps’ – “Performance, profile and participation – that’s how we’ve approached the concept,” she explains. “Performance obviously encompasses everything that goes on the pitch. By profile we mean the efforts to really keep up the momentum behind the women’s game. The international women’s game has a big profile at the moment – in terms of increased media interest and commercial investment – but there isn’t a high-profile domestic product, so the women’s game is relying heavily on the international game.
“Hopefully the Super League, with the best female players from around the world, will take women’s cricket to another level, from which we can really push and drive the profile for women’s cricket.”
“The third ‘P’ is participation,” Connor adds, and explains how the aim of attracting more youngsters to cricket is enshrined in the foundations of the Super League. Teams wanting to join the competition were asked to include in their bids clearly identified proposals which would inspire growth at grassroots level, reach more women and girls in their communities and grow female audiences for the sport.
All six women’s cricket teams which were selected for the competition did this successfully. They are Hampshire Cricket, Lancashire County Cricket Board, Loughborough University, South West, Surrey County Cricket Club and Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
Hampshire, for example, will play its Super League games based on a “road show” model, working with local partners, such as Berkshire Cricket, the Dorset Cricket Board and Southampton Solent University.
EYES ON THE PRIZE The ECB will invest £3m (US$4.3m, €3.9m) in the Women’s Super League over the next four years, with host teams being awarded an annual grant. Some money will be held centrally to develop logos and kits for the players, while a “big chunk” will go towards prize money – this is the first time cash has been awarded to women for playing English domestic cricket.
Connor reveals that the ECB is having “really positive conversations” with broadcaster Sky about televising the competition, with inspiration for a possible contract for TV rights being drawn from the successful agreement for live coverage made by the Football Association’s Women’s Super League.
As for measuring success – does Connor have a target in mind? “It would be fantastic to reach an average attendance of 1,000 for first round games,” she says. “That would make me very happy, and for finals day we’ll hope to get nearer to 4-5,000. We’ll do our best to make the most of this opportunity.”
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Put it this way – I wouldn’t get anywhere near being selected for the current England team,” says former England cricket captain Clare Connor, when asked to describe how women’s cricket has developed over the past decade.
“The last few years have been remarkable. We’ve gone from being a completely amateur sport to having a fully fledged, professional England team. We used to have very little televised cricket, but last year every ball of the women’s Ashes was televised live on Sky Sports and broadcast on BBC radio.”
SUPER STUFF Connor, who received an OBE for captaining England to victory against Australia in 2005, is now the person tasked with taking the women’s game to the next level. She’s the director of women’s cricket at England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) – responsible not only for the national team, but also for the women’s domestic league set up and for growing the number of female cricketers at grassroots level.
As part of her plans to improve the sport, she’s masterminded the new Women’s Cricket Super League, a six-team tournament set to launch in July this year. The ambition is for the new league to attract the best cricketers from around the world, creating a more competitive environment for English female players and increasing the visibility of women’s cricket.
Connor says getting the league up and running has been one of her greatest career achievements. “It took over, probably, a third of my working life over the last year,” she says. “It’s been really challenging and we’ve had a lot of work to do – preparation, planning and contractual work with the tender process – without ever being 100 per cent sure whether the league would happen. There were many things which could have derailed it along the way – if the bids from the teams hadn’t been good enough, for example.
“I’m really proud that we’ve made it and once the competition gets going I won’t be as hands-on as I was in the planning stage – although ultimately I’ll be accountable and the buck will stop with me!”
THREE Ps Connor says the league will be based on three ‘Ps’ – “Performance, profile and participation – that’s how we’ve approached the concept,” she explains. “Performance obviously encompasses everything that goes on the pitch. By profile we mean the efforts to really keep up the momentum behind the women’s game. The international women’s game has a big profile at the moment – in terms of increased media interest and commercial investment – but there isn’t a high-profile domestic product, so the women’s game is relying heavily on the international game.
“Hopefully the Super League, with the best female players from around the world, will take women’s cricket to another level, from which we can really push and drive the profile for women’s cricket.”
“The third ‘P’ is participation,” Connor adds, and explains how the aim of attracting more youngsters to cricket is enshrined in the foundations of the Super League. Teams wanting to join the competition were asked to include in their bids clearly identified proposals which would inspire growth at grassroots level, reach more women and girls in their communities and grow female audiences for the sport.
All six women’s cricket teams which were selected for the competition did this successfully. They are Hampshire Cricket, Lancashire County Cricket Board, Loughborough University, South West, Surrey County Cricket Club and Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
Hampshire, for example, will play its Super League games based on a “road show” model, working with local partners, such as Berkshire Cricket, the Dorset Cricket Board and Southampton Solent University.
EYES ON THE PRIZE The ECB will invest £3m (US$4.3m, €3.9m) in the Women’s Super League over the next four years, with host teams being awarded an annual grant. Some money will be held centrally to develop logos and kits for the players, while a “big chunk” will go towards prize money – this is the first time cash has been awarded to women for playing English domestic cricket.
Connor reveals that the ECB is having “really positive conversations” with broadcaster Sky about televising the competition, with inspiration for a possible contract for TV rights being drawn from the successful agreement for live coverage made by the Football Association’s Women’s Super League.
As for measuring success – does Connor have a target in mind? “It would be fantastic to reach an average attendance of 1,000 for first round games,” she says. “That would make me very happy, and for finals day we’ll hope to get nearer to 4-5,000. We’ll do our best to make the most of this opportunity.”
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
Mexican operator, Solmar Hotels and Resorts, is hosting a series of events in celebration of
Global Wellness Day, including a Temazcal ceremony at its Playa Grande Resort and Spa in Los
Cabos.
Mandarin Oriental has announced a standalone residence brand, Mansions, which will debut at
Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Mansions, Abu Dhabi, in 2029.
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Elemental Herbology Founded in 2008 by a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner, Elemental Herbology is a spa, retail [more...]
