The ECB have announced a new structure for women's domestic cricket that will run from 2025-2028; under the new 'three-tier model', there will be no promotion or relegation; Eight counties have been granted 'Tier 1' status; there will also be increased investment in the women's game
Thursday 18 April 2024 18:18, UK
Yorkshire will have to wait until 2027 to take part in the England and Wales Cricket Board's new 'Tier 1' revamp of the women's professional game, after eight other counties were selected to lead the way.
Durham, Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Surrey and Warwickshire have been chosen as hosts, with the governing body abolishing the existing regional structure in favour of alignment with the first-class counties.
The blow to Yorkshire, for whom this is a further setback after several turbulent years on and off the field, has been mitigated by a promise to bring them into an expanded competition in the third season.
Glamorgan have been given the same assurances and both will receive additional funding to help build their pathway.
Yorkshire said in a statement that they were "surprised and disappointed" not to be awarded one of the initial Tier 1 teams.
"The news is especially frustrating and upsetting for the players and staff at the Northern Diamonds," read Yorkshire's statement.
"They have been trying to deal with it whilst preparing for their first game of the season in two days. Our focus is on supporting them through this difficult period and gaining as much clarity on what the future looks like.
"Yorkshire has the largest active playing base of women and girls in the country, has produced many players that have gone on to represent England in the women's game, winning the County Championship 16 times and Headingley has been successfully hosting the Northern Diamonds since 2020, so naturally the news has been tough to take."
The White Rose has endured a turbulent time in recent years, embattled by the Azeem Rafiq racism crisis and fighting major financial troubles leading to the controversial return of Colin Graves as chair.
But there has been a renewed commitment to equality of opportunity at the club against that troubled backdrop, work which the board were keen to highlight.
"Yorkshire has a rich ethnicity mix and as part of our ongoing work to be the most welcoming and inclusive cricket club in the country, we use women's and girl's cricket as the cornerstone to creating real, tangible value in those communities that need it the most," it said.
"We believe we hit all of the criteria set out as part of the tender, so we will be taking time to investigate and understand the detail behind the decision, assessing the best next steps for the club and most importantly ensuring we support the players and staff that are impacted."
There will be no 'Tier 1' cricket at Lord's in the foreseeable future, with MCC declining to put itself forward and Middlesex among those overlooked. Sussex have also been left on the outside looking in, despite a long and strong commitment to the women's game
England women's captain, Heather Knight, speaking on Sky Sports News
"I think simplifying the regional structure and bringing it under the banner under the men's game and the county game is going to be a huge step, so having them both together and having one club and two teams is a super bit of progress. I think a lot of clubs have seen the opportunity that the women's game has in growing those clubs."
On Yorkshire and Glamorgan's frustration, she said: "There was a time when I started playing for England that not that many counties were interested in the women's game so that fact that there's counties disappointed they haven't got that Tier 1 status, it shows the progress and the opportunity the women's game present. Most clubs in this country were desperate to have that Tier 1 status and have that women's team alongside."
Knight added: "I think ambition is great. I think the ECB has been so ambitious by investing so much money in growing the women's game and really having a structure for young girls to be able to thrive and have opportunities to be professional cricketers is super important."
The ECB has also said it wants to expand Tier 1 to 12 teams by 2029 but no decision has been made yet as to where these further two teams would be based.
First-class counties that were not awarded Tier 1 status and national counties will be invited to be part of the process to determine teams for Tier 2 and 3 of the new domestic structure. These teams will be announced in September ahead of launch in 2025.
For the duration of the 2025-2028 seasons all three tiers will be 'closed', with no promotion or relegation.
The plans could see an 80 per cent increase in the number of professional female players by 2029 and the ECB is committing a further £3m a year from when Glamorgan and Yorkshire are operational.
It will mean a total of £8m new funding per year is invested into women's domestic cricket by 2027 - taking annual investment in this area to £19m.
Richard Gould, ECB chief executive officer, said: "Through this process we've seen a huge appetite from first class counties to have a women's professional team, and a real commitment to growing women's and girls' cricket in this country.
"I'd like to congratulate those counties who have been successful in their bids. I'm also delighted that in light of the support we have seen and the strength of the bids we have considered, we can accelerate our plans, including new top tier professional teams at Glamorgan and Yorkshire by 2027 with and a further two being introduced by 2029.
"More professional teams means more women able to make a career out of being a cricketer, more role models to inspire future generations, and more of the country having a women's professional team to follow nearby.
"I recognise today's announcement will also be disappointing to those who haven't been successful at this stage. But with the new three-tier structure we are introducing, there is still a huge opportunity for them to compete in the other tiers so together we can all realise the potential of women's domestic cricket."
ECB director of women's professional game Beth Barrett-Wild said: "It's clear that the game is united in wanting to take the women's professional game forward, and in wanting to produce commercially vibrant teams and competitions that excite fans and showcase the quality of our professional players.
"I'm energised about what comes next, for the counties themselves, for the players, for fans and for everyone who wants to see women's cricket continue its accelerated trajectory."
Wisden editor Lawrence Booth speaking on Sky Sports News:
"The ECB are looking to fully professionalise England's women's cricket and it's been long overdue, so it should be great for the women's game.
"The women's counties have always had teams, they've just been lower profile. The highest level has been the regions.
"I think they are trying to bring it in line with the men's set-up so that you can get fully engaged with your county. If you want to go to Hampshire, you can support the men's team and the women's team and that is the top level now for women's cricket.
"There will be three tiers as well so the counties that missed out on Tier 1 team will get a chance to bid and an announcement will be made in September for Tier 2 and Tier 3.
"There will be a fully professionalised structure which there hasn't been up to now.
"We are trying to catch up with Australia, basically. They have been miles ahead of the game in women's cricket and this is England's chance to try and catch up with them.
"There will be more tie-ups with the men's teams and facilities will be shared. Then there is the great identification on the fans' level."
Charlotte Edwards, Hampshire's director of women's cricket, speaking on Sky Sports News:
"The fact we've now got eight counties that are going to be leading the next chapter for professional women's cricket in this country is hugely exciting.
"Obviously we are over the moon in Hampshire that we've got the opportunity to play a part in that and hopefully take things forward.
"Hopefully we will keep some sort of legacy from the [Southern] Vipers down here because that has played an integral part in this club, and hopefully we can continue that in some way.
"But we are just delighted we are continuing to keep cricket here at Utilita Bowl for hopefully many years to come and also build on the great work we have done over the last eight years. It has been really special to be part of."
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