Yorkshire will have to wait until 2027 to take part in the England and Wales Cricket Board바카라s new 바카라Tier 1바카라 revamp of the women바카라s professional game, after eight other counties were selected to lead the way. (More Cricket News)
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.
But there will be no 바카라Tier 1바카라 cricket at Lord바카라s 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 women바카라s game.
They will be hoping to be included as the elite level continues to grow, with the ECB outlining plans to further expand to 12 teams by 2029.
ECB chief executive Richard Gould said: 바카라I바카라d like to congratulate those counties who have been successful in their bids.
바카라I바카라m 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 a further two being introduced by 2029.
바카라More 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 women바카라s professional team to follow nearby.
바카라I recognise today바카라s announcement will also be disappointing to those who haven바카라t 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 women바카라s domestic cricket.바카라
Beth Barrett-Wild, the ECB바카라s director of the women바카라s professional game, praised the calibre of offers from around the country.
바카라At the start of this tender process we challenged the first-class counties to show us their vision for the women바카라s professional game and to demonstrate their desire and commitment to becoming one of our professional Tier 1 clubs,바카라 she said.
바카라Over the last couple of months it바카라s been brilliant to see the time and energy that has gone into the submissions, and I바카라ve been hugely impressed by the quality and ambition of the bids.
바카라It바카라s clear that the game is united in wanting to take the women바카라s professional game forward. I바카라m energised about what comes next, for the counties themselves, for the players, for fans and for everyone who wants to see women바카라s cricket continue its accelerated trajectory.바카라
The ECB has put £5million per year of new funding into the women바카라s domestic set-up, rising to £8million when Yorkshire and Glamorgan come aboard.
It estimates a potential increase of 80 per cent in the number of professional female players.
There will be no promotion or relegation between 2025 and 2028, allowing the new three-tier system to bed in.
