Women's domestic cricket structure: ECB confirms formation of Tier 2 and Tier 3
The ECB unveils complete three-tier model for women's domestic cricket that will run from 2025 to 2028; Ten counties to play 50-over and 20-over cricket in Tier 2, while Tier 3 status available to all national counties; ECB also confirms formation of knockout cup competition
Thursday 18 July 2024 10:36, UK
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed the formation of Tier 2 and Tier 3 in the revamped women's domestic cricket structure set to be launched in 2025.
Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Middlesex, Sussex, Worcestershire and Yorkshire will make up Tier 2 in the 2025 season, with the 10 counties playing 50-over and 20-over cricket.
Tier 3 status will be awarded to all national counties who would like to participate in the new competitions from 2025.
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Yorkshire will become a Tier 1 club for the 2026 season, subject to meeting a series of conditions on governance, strategy and finance, while Glamorgan will join Tier 1 in 2027.
All three tiers will be 'closed' until the end of the 2028 season, with no promotion or relegation, though the ECB has set the ambition to expand Tier 1 to 12 teams by 2029.
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It signifies the next step in the evolution of the women's professional domestic game, with Tier 1 having been announced earlier this year.
The plans unveiled to this point equate to £8m new funding per year being invested into women's domestic cricket by 2027 - taking annual investment in this area to £19m.
"It's exciting to see the three tiers finalised," Beth Barrett-Wild, director of Women's Professional Game, said. "It brings the new landscape of women's professional domestic cricket one step closer.
"From next summer we will see up to 39 counties competing across the new structure, which will both accommodate the growth and accelerate the depth of the women's professional game - on and off the field.
"It's taken substantial work from the game to get to this point and having seen how the counties have shared their plans, I'm so enthused about what comes next.
"We shouldn't underestimate how big this step is for women's cricket and indeed the whole game; a thriving and sustainable women's domestic pyramid underneath The Hundred and England Women, with more professional female players, increased investment, and enhanced alignment across the men's and women's game, is a huge step forward for cricket."
The ECB also announced the formation of a knockout cup competition, launching in 2025, that will consist of teams from all three tiers, with the aim of providing counties with the opportunity to compete against each other at some of the country's biggest venues, and give players the chance to test their skills on an elevated platform.
The three-tier structure aims to build on the impact of the existing regional model, which has accelerated performance levels within women's cricket and laid solid foundations, to further grow the depth and reach of the women's professional game.
