The ECB announces names of Tier-1 counties that are set to participate in a revamped women’s domestic competition. The top-level competition is to be set in 2025.
After being given the Tier-1 status Durham Durham, Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Surrey and Warwickshire are to run professional women’s teams from 2025. Two teams namely Yorkshire and Glamorgan are set to join the extended 10-team competition in 2027 and two more by 2029 under a revamped domestic structure confirmed by the ECB on Thursday.
Durham will represent the north, while Essex and Surrey will represent London and the south-east. The new top-level domestic women’s competition in England and Wales starts from next year.
Yorkshire “surprised and dissapointed” After missing out on Tier-1 status
The Yorkshire County didn’t fare well with not being one of the “Tier-1” teams to play the professional women’s competition in 2025. However, Yorkshire along with Glamorgan is to join the current 8 teams in 2027. Two more teams will join in 2029 under a new, revised domestic structure as confirmed by the ECB.
Middlesex was another, and probably the most notable County to have been entirely omitted at this stage. This came after they were placed under special measures by the ECB due to financial issues. Yorkshire and Glamorgan, as the expansion teams, will receive additional funding from 2025 to run a “Tier 1 standard” talent pathway.
“Huge appetite from First Class Counties to have a women’s professional team” says ECB CEO
The ECB had invited all 18 first class counties and MCC to enter the process to become a women’s tier-1 club.
“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.” Said Richard Gould, CEO of the ECB.
“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.” he added. These new teams will be more closely associated with the existing counties and their men’s teams, meaning that ownership, responsibility and governance will shift to those clubs.
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