Hampshire Cricket, Lancashire County Cricket Board and Yorkshire County Cricket Club are among the six host teams chosen to compete in the inaugural Women’s Cricket Super League this summer.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has also handed spots to Loughborough University, Surrey County Cricket Club and a team from the South West as it whittled down 10 interested parties during a “rigorous” tendering process.
All six teams have been awarded hosting rights for a four-year period from 2016 until 2019. The Women’s Cricket Super League will commence in the summer of 2016 with the teams competing in a Twenty20 (T20) event, although both T20 and 50-overs formats of the game have been earmarked for future seasons.
Clare Connor, ECB director of England Women’s cricket, said the body’s vision was “to create an exciting, dynamic and high quality domestic women’s game in England”.
“The award process has provided a real catalyst for a wide range of organisations to think differently about their individual and collaborative cricket offer for women and girls, and how they can positively shape the future of the game,” added Connor.
While Yorkshire, Surrey and Loughborough went through the tender process alone, the three additional host teams have enlisted a number of partners. Hampshire Cricket has teamed up with Berkshire Cricket, Dorset Cricket Board, Isle of Wight Cricket Board, Oxfordshire Cricket, Southampton Solent University, Sussex Cricket and Wiltshire Cricket.
Lancashire has partnered with Lancashire County Cricket Club and Lancashire County Cricket Club Foundation, while the South West team brought together Somerset County Cricket Club, Gloucestershire County Cricket and the University of Exeter,
According the the ECB, the “key aims” of the Super League include the development of “ever higher standards” for the England women’s team, and inspiring more women and girls to play the sport.
Further details on the format and timing of the competition – along with the confirmed team names and identities – will be revealed shortly.
“It is pleasing to see so many diverse and innovative partnerships working across the cricket and educational landscapes and that the six chosen hosts provide such a strong geographical spread,” added ECB chief executive Tom Harrison.
