What are the changes?

The existing structure of women’s domestic cricket England was established in 2020, but is set to be scrapped at the end of the 2024 season. Under the existing system, eight regional teams compete against each other for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy (50-over) and Charlotte Edwards Cup (T20). Regions draw players from multiple counties and national boards, streamlining the best talent from across the country into the eight professional teams.

But, earlier this year the ECB announced Project Darwin, as a plan to bring the women’s domestic structure more in line with the county system over the next five years. The eight regional teams are being handed back to the control of the counties, with 16 of the 18 first-class counties submitting bids last month to host one of the initial eight professional women’s county sides.

This week, the ECB announced that the successful bidders for these teams were Hampshire, Essex, Lancashire, Durham, Essex, Somerset, Surrey and Nottinghamshire. Those eight counties will make up ‘Tier One’ of the structure, and will receive £1.3 million per year from the ECB for the first four years of the new system. Glamorgan and Yorkshire will join Tier One in 2027, while two more teams are set to be added in 2029.

Tiers Two and Three will be made up of the other First Class Counties and National Counties. They will be a mix of semi-professional and amateur sides. From 2025-2028, there will be no promotion and relegation between the tiers.

Tier One teams will compete in the existing Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and Charlotte Edwards Cup, and the ECB say it is ‘anticipated that competitions in Tiers 2 and Tiers 3 will also compete in both 50-over and T20 cricket.’

The counties who have not been successful in their bids for a Tier One team will be invited to join a process to establish a Tier Two or Tier Three side, with the make-up of those tiers to be confirmed by September 2024.

The ECB will also invest an additional £4m-£5m a year in the women’s professional game, taking their annual investment up to £16m a year.

Why are the ECB changing the system?

The regional system has helped develop the women’s domestic game into a professional era, but the new structure aims to establish a more streamlined, recognisable system and professional structure. There are now more than 80 professional women’s cricketers in England, more than double that of the 40 that were initially announced when the regional system was established in 2020.

Richard Gould, ECB CEO, said, “Since 2020, through the advent of the women’s Regional Model, we have seen significant progress in the professionalisation of women’s cricket, but we are still only just scratching the surface of its potential.

“To continue moving forward, and to make cricket a gender-balanced sport, we need a change in the ownership model and governance structure underpinning the women’s professional game.”

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The ECB also say that ‘Despite the progression of the Regional Model up to this point, the shift in ownership model and expanded competition structure gives the professional women’s game the ability to move to the next level – especially in off-field areas such as fan engagement and commercial value generation.’

The importance of the ICEC report should also be acknowledged. The report, published last summer, recommended a ‘fundamental overhaul’ to the pay structure of women’s cricket in England and Wales, with the aim of reaching equal pay between men and women at domestic level by 2029.

What have the counties said?

The eight chosen Tier One clubs all expressed delight at being selected to lead this new era of women’s domestic cricket and highlighted the significance of the decision to approve their bids.

Durham’s Chief Executive, Tim Bostock, called their successful bid “a monumental moment in the history of Durham Cricket and women’s sport in the region,” while Steve Elworthy, CEO at Surrey, said, “There is no doubt in my mind that this is a game-changing moment for women’s cricket.”

The reaction from the two counties who missed out on the initial round of Tier One teams was less enthusiastic, particularly from Yorkshire, who currently host the Northern Diamonds. A statement from Yorkshire CCC read: “We’re surprised and disappointed not to be awarded one of the initial Tier 1 women’s teams”

Durham, Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Surrey and Warwickshire have been awarded a Tier 1 women’s team for 2025 🏏

Glamorgan and Yorkshire are set to join by 2027, and a further two by 2029, taking the total number of teams to 12.#CountyCricket2024 pic.twitter.com/2VT3DuGyUQ

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) April 18, 2024

“The news is especially frustrating and upsetting for the players and staff at the Northern Diamonds. They have been trying to deal with it whilst preparing for their first game of the season in two days. Our focus is on supporting them through this difficult period and gaining as much clarity on what the future looks like.

“Yorkshire has the largest active playing base of women and girls in the country, has produced many players that have gone on to represent England in the women’s game, winning the County Championship 16 times and Headingley has been successfully hosting the Northern Diamonds since 2020, so naturally the news has been tough to take.”

Leicestershire, who’s bid for a Tier One side was unsuccessful said in a press release, that they were ‘crestfallen’ to have been unsuccessful in their bid, but stated that ‘the Club remains fully committed to developing women and girls’ cricket in Leicestershire,’ and ‘will then reassess its position and focus on cementing Tier Two status as soon as possible to best ensure women and girls’ cricket continues to flourish in our county.’

Gloucestershire, also without clarity on their role in the restructure, said they were ‘delighted to see a Tier One professional women’s team secured for the West Country and would like to congratulate Somerset for their successful tender process,’ and were ‘excited for our role in helping to support the women’s professional teams from 2025 onwards’.