England cricket launch action plan to transform women’s cricket
England cricket chiefs have launched an action plan to transform women's cricket, with the aim of making it a gender-balanced sport. England and Wales Cricket Board managing director of women's cricket Clare Connor and women’s team skipper Heather Knight have welcomed the coordinated approach.
The action plan, which has five key objectives, will mainly focus on increasing the number of women and girls playing the game recreationally. The ECB plan on providing funding of £20 million ($24m) over the next two years, with the ambition of investing £50 million over five years.
"We have an amazing opportunity to make cricket the sport we want it to be -- a sport that is modern, innovative and inclusive. Over the last five years, Australia has made similar investments which we are about to make," Connor told AFP.
"There's no getting away from the fact we do need to close the gap, certainly around the number of female players who can make a living playing the game," Connor added.
On the other hand, tournaments like The Hundred and the England women’s team will become a platform to boost the profile of the sport among women. The Hundred will see eight women's teams taking part in a new 100-ball competition next year, alongside a separate event for men.
"We need more young girls to be inspired to play and those young girls need to be able to see a clear pathway above them that encourages them to continue pursuing the game," Knight said.