ECB / Women's

Women's Cricket

Charlotte Edwards & Claire Taylor
© Getty ImagesBuy this photoThe women’s section of the ECB website provides cricketers and fans with access to the latest news and information on the women’s game – both on the international and domestic scene.

The women's game in England continues to go from strength to strength and is growing at a rapid pace. This has been seen most clearly since the Ashes win of 2005 and, in the last year alone, women’s and girl’s cricket recorded the sharpest rise of any form of the game in England and Wales of 45 per cent.

One of the main factors contributing to the growth is the tremendous work of the ECB Women's Regional Cricket Managers who are charged with developing new clubs, forming sustainable girls’ leagues and introducing girls to the sport at a local level.

Participation in girls' and women's cricket is surging upwards - full details of ECB's latest survey here To support this growth, members of the England Women’s team will be contracted from April 2008. Rather than central contracts, the players will receive coaching contracts whereby they will work as Chance to shine coaches in schools and clubs in their areas.

In these roles, they will work with the Women’s Regional Cricket Managers to focus on coaching girls to expand upon the 45 per cent increase in numbers playing the game.

This is a ground-breaking move by ECB in support of County Board initiatives and signals an era of greater support for the England Women’s team than ever before.

With World Cup 2009 just around the corner, these contracts should give the England team greater flexibility to prepare as best they can.

Having retained the Ashes down under in February and conquered New Zealand in the One-Day series, the team looks set for a bright future.

England Women

Want to start playing cricket? You can join in right now - and aspire to be like the Ashes-winning England team!

To find out how to start playing or get involved - the ECB's Women's Regional Cricket Managers should be your first point of contact. You can also make contact with the Cricket Development Manager in your county for further information