The Yorkshire Cricket Board (YCB) has played a central role in supporting the development and oversight of over 125,000 recreational players in the community. The YCB has focused on school and community work with local clubs to ensure that facilities, matches, and training are available to meet the needs of young girls who are inspired by the England Women's team and the local professional side, the Northern Diamonds.
In order to make the game as inclusive as possible, this has led to a major culture shift locally.
Growth in the last three years:
- In 2021, the state school cricket programme provided coaching to 14,500 girls through various partnerships.
- The number of girls participating in the ECB's national All Stars and Dynamos programmes increased from 975 in 2020 to 2186.
- In Yorkshire, the number of women's and girls' teams tripled from 2020 to 302, and the number of women's and girls' clubs increased from 83 to 195, a 134.9% increase.
- The percentage of girls participating in the national programme increased from 14% in 2019 to 26%.
The All Stars and Dynamos programmes have been instrumental in generating interest in cricket among young girls. This increased interest has led to the development of new junior league softball and hardball leagues, which are managed by dedicated volunteers who aim to provide opportunities for girls to play the game.
In Yorkshire alone, there are over 20 leagues that cater to women and girls. These events take place at different times throughout the year, both indoors and outdoors. In the summer of 2023 a finals day was held at Headingley for over 100 women and girls, which proved to be a fantastic and inspiring day.
The Yorkshire Women and Girls Premier League has been revamped and will launch with a brand new 100 competition. This will see the best teams from across the county compete in exciting new formats designed by the players and clubs.