What are going to be the trends in grassroots cricket in 2025? Well, this is when I peer into the future and make some educated / outlandish predictions. [Delete as applicable 😁]
Girls’ cricket at clubs
In my analysis of the ECB’s new 2025-2028 strategy, what stood out in the drive to have 6,000 girls’ teams by 2026 were these three goals:
- Transition more girls from schools and junior club programmes to create more sustainable girls’ sections at clubs.
- Growing league structures, for women and girls to play.
- Invest in the people, including coaches, that enable women’s and girls’ recreational cricket to happen.
Here in Yorkshire, that might include an expansion of girls’ leagues with the Yorkshire Cricket Board’s Katie Stewart telling me how momentum is building in West Yorkshire on the podcast.
I imagine that’s about there being enough opportunities, at every age group, across Yorkshire (no mean feat) so that girls can try cricket, enjoy playing in a club environment and move from softball to hardball if they want to.
The growth of women and girls’ league structures is one that caught my eye. There are both girls’ leagues and women and girls’ leagues. In many cases, girls will play both at their own age group and with other older girls or women at clubs.
How you grow both simultaneously when they’re interwoven will be interesting to see play out. Given the targets set by the ECB, here in Yorkshire, that has to mean many more players – and expanded league structures – in 2025.
Geography plays its part too. No-one wants to travel too far – and yet, ambitious women and girls’ teams will (as their standard improves) seek out the highest level.
Talking to Sessay Emeralds’ Peter Watson for the podcast, he felt that the Yorkshire Women & Girls Cricket League (YW&GCL) needed divisions underneath to bridge the gap in standard.
The YW&GCL is the premier standard – although with the improvement in regional leagues, the likes of Bradford Park Avenue, St Chad’s Broomfield, Crossflatts and others have strengthened year-on-year.
Softball cricket
Nor should we ignore – or in any way lessen – the success of softball cricket that has taken off like a rocket in Yorkshire, introducing many new teams and players to the game for the first time.
The Emeralds have developed to become one of the top women and girls’ clubs in the country but they began with a few girls and ironically, one goal for 2025 is to introduce a softball team for newcomers.
A point that illustrates where women and girls’ cricket will start to face the same congestion and competition of ‘open’ cricket leagues (such as Yorkshire Premier League North or Nidderdale Cricket League that are predominantly boys and men but open to all genders).
In quite a few parts of Yorkshire, you have lots of clubs close geographically who jostle for the same player pool, grounds and sponsorship. That will only increase for women and girls’ cricket as the number of players, teams and leagues (happily) skyrockets.
Please don’t interpret that as someone advocating we put the handbrake on. Absolutely not. Yet – and regular readers will know I discuss this quite a bit – it has to be joined up.
In terms of clubs competing for players and members, they’ll need to think carefully about their messaging. That requires input from those women and girls on committees wherever possible.
Inclusivity or afterthought?
I see examples of inclusivity (Crossflatts or Doncaster Town off the top of my head) – and others where women and girls’ cricket is relegated on social media and on websites.
It might easier if it’s a women and girls’ section with its own committee – or a separate club – but I wonder how it’s been over the past couple of years as clubs have expanded and had to adapt.
Talking to clubs and administrators, the good news is that demand is certainly there.
Finding girls who want to play cricket doesn’t sound as if it’s been difficult (in a broad sense) but there has to be the choice, the infrastructure in place and the people to deliver it.
Tied into that is the administration of women and girls’ cricket in future. A chat with Grace Pearson, Head of Women & Girls at the Yorkshire Cricket Board (above), was an insight into the thinking at governing body level.
There’s a Females in Cricket event at Headingley on February 22nd 2025 that invites females interested in being involved in cricket beyond playing or coaching to learn more and get support.
Workshops led by Jasmine Nicholls (grounds), Sarah Pollard (Officiating & Scoring) and Rachael McKenzie (Female Health & Injuries) will offer valuable insights.
(🏏 Links above are interviews we’ve done with Sarah and Rachael in the past).
Running cricket clubs and leagues takes a substantial volunteer effort that’s key to how cricket in Yorkshire looks when we all review again in December 2025.
Grace also made the important point that to grow women and girls’ cricket, it needs to bring everyone along on the journey, including brothers, dads, uncles and those men currently running clubs across the region.
Grounds for concern?
I got an email from Bradford Council just before Storm Darragh hit to say that all public sports grounds were going to be shut on, er, safety grounds. It reminded me of the role of stakeholders in how we grow the game when it comes to where it’s actually played.
The picture in Yorkshire when it comes to the availability, quality and maintenance of cricket grounds, is complex. From council pitches to private grounds, grounds vary a lot.
My article on King’s Cross Juniors who have been bounced from ground to ground in Halifax illustrates just one angle to this. There are not enough cricket grounds at the minute in towns and cities across Yorkshire – and obviously, the ambition is for many more teams and clubs.
I only sneaked my Maths GCSE by a whisker but even I can see the equation of strategy versus capacity looks unbalanced.
Yet, where there’s a will, there’s often a way.
The rapid growth of women and girls’ indoor cricket, particularly in South Yorkshire & West Yorkshire, has been achieved – despite my wrong assumption that a considerable roadblock could be sports hall availability and costs.
I understand the YCB has cricket grounds – in terms of upgrading existing sites and finding new places to play cricket, very much on its radar for 2025.
Grace also told me of the success of an autumn U11 girls tournament at venues that hadn’t hosted cricket before. So, it’s part upgrading existing sites, allied with being creative around what could work beyond a traditional grass pitch.
Football or hockey artificials are one obvious solution as is allowing cricket in urban spaces that are used for something completely different.
The Mirror Pool in central Bradford is the largest urban water feature in the UK apparently. I’ve said before it would also make a cracking venue for a softball tournament, watched I have absolutely no doubt by loads of people on a summer’s day.
Thinking outside the traditional idea of a cricket ground
If Piece Hall in Halifax (a truly jaw-dropping venue by the way) can host music gigs then it could potentially host cricket. Why not, eh?
Obviously, with hardball cricket comes safety considerations and the practicalities of how far a cricket ball can travel but this is where collaboration – already the quiet success story in Yorkshire – remains as important as ever between clubs, schools and landowners.
The number of stakeholders who own, administer and maintain cricket grounds makes it tricky to navigate – but not impossible.
There are also empty cricket grounds out there and at a time when local councils are financially creaking, we have seen clubs and community groups take over land and grounds for regeneration.
So, there you go.
Two threads that I expect to be important to Yorkshire cricket in 2025, among so much more of course. As ever, we’ll be sharing news, insights, interviews, photography, podcasts and getting out and about across the region.
OVER TO YOU…
So, what’s important to you for 2025? What would you like to see happen in recreational cricket (broadly or in Yorkshire?) – What’s missing or what would you like to know more about?
Leave a comment below (I read them all) or get in touch on the Cricket Yorkshire Facebook page.
Here’s to an enjoyable, prosperous year of grassroots cricket!
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Hi John
As a player for over 50 years at Mexborough Cricket Club I was also its Secretary, Treasurer, Chairman, Groundsman Child Welfare Officer and a Senior Coach.
The Town of Mexborough was the 5th largest Town within South Yorkshire and borders Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham and enjoys a wide expanse of sporting grounds combining of two bowling greens two tennis courts ( now derelict ) two active football pitches, three active tennis courts, a cricket ground with over approx 100 years of history with a Pavilion to match..
The ground like many of the ex Colliery Welfare’s in South Yorkshire Mexborough, Denaby, Yorkshire Main*. New Stubbin*, Askern, Bentley, Rossington, Brodsworth, Armthorpe,* Wath, Swinton* (*) indicates cricket is no longer played there .
These sites are more or less in ex Mining areas that have seen serious decline in sports investment with Mexborough a typical example that is classified as one of he most deprived areas in England.
As regards cricket Mexborough Cricket Club as stated, has a much valued history but the Cricket Club hangs on by the skin of its teeth, struggling for two teams and very few juniors and volunteers although it has 5 /6 Junior schools and a large Comprehensive School the Laurel Academy.
What the sports complex lacks is investment and would seriously benefit from and Indoor Cricket Center that would serve the whole of the Dearne Valley Area encompassing at least 6 clubs and would be the only one dedicated to mainly cricket out of the City of Sheffield. Here girls cricket could be one of its development processes.
Maybe there is a story to be told here regarding Cricket in South Yorkshire and its decline some 30 to 50 grounds have been lost in the last 50/60 ears
I am sure a visit from Freddie Flintoff and a new series would possibly do the trick ??
Good to hear from you Hugh and thanks for the insight on Mexborough CC. Sorry to hear it’s struggling. Getting an indoor cricket centre or sport hall built is very difficult to fund though perhaps a smaller version of Total Play’s cricket dome at Bradford Park Avenue is a bridge that could attract central funding and support from council and others. Who knows.
I hope you can get hold of Freddie and arrange a visit! All the best for 2025, John.
Thanks John for your very interesting article.
Another big issue to focus on, I believe, is the falling numbers of adult cricketers who will commit to a full season of games. There’s much more ‘flakiness’ around and people wanting to play only every-other-week etc. Many clubs are really up against it in terms of putting out teams consistently. Do we need to look at changing more senior cricket to 20/20 or other shorter formats so it can fit around people’s other commitments more easily?
What do you think?
Scope for an article perhaps Malcolm – something I hear a lot and more broadly as a trend over the last five years.
I try and see it from all sides so there’s nothing wrong with players only committing for half a season but it is a challenge in terms of locking down names for an XI week-to-week.
Shorter formats is the way to go but it is not something anyone will agree on as the perception is that shorter (Saturday league level at any rate) means lessened in seriousness somehow.
At a club like yours, I imagine it’s also down to the standard so the 1s wouldn’t want to suddenly play 30-over Saturday Aire-Wharfe but perhaps a 3rd XI would.
Every club will be different but you could take the view that it’s worth the experiment. It means less cricket which for many is unacceptable!
Thanks John, absolutely. The danger would seem to be that if the ‘hardcore’ few running the leagues, hold back changes it could lead to many more clubs going out of existence and the amateur game declining. There is clearly a case for top club cricket to still be 50 over, with then, say, 35 overs at lower 1st XI standard and perhaps 20 overs at 2nd/3rd XI level. This cannot continue to be seen as ‘lesser’ or ‘unserious’ cricket. The game will slowly die unless it evolves with modern lifestyles. It can be seen already that there is a huge drop-off in player-commitment after the age of 16. Fantastic work at junior level by Clubs is thereby undermined by the lack of suitable formats of the game at senior stage.
I think it’s a balancing act between supporting juniors into senior cricket with formats that suit and also giving enough cricket for longer in a day for those who want it.
Not an easy square to circle. A 35-over format has its benefits in that it could be more attractive to fringe players, less impacted by weather and more appealing to those with weekend work or families to think about. It needs to be voted for by clubs and therein lies the barrier.
I genuinely don’t know how many players want shorter formats in a Saturday league and to what extent clubs poll their players/members to ask about it.
Grounds is a big hurdle to expansion and although you suggest sports halls are two a penny, the reality is demand outstrips supply.
I was aghast to read the headlines prior to Christmas that the ECB has removed over 50s funding and I believe also u60s have not been funded for a while. Maybe the ECB strategy isn’t very inclusive after all. I’ll admit I haven’t read all the details but sounds like removing that funding a real own goal when cost was reportedly relatively minimal.
Thanks Simon – I was surprised that there’s been indoor capacity for the growth of W&G cricket in South Yorkshire but seems to be okay. Whatever part of Yorkshire, more facilities needed so definitely not two a penny. As for inclusivity, I don’t think you can judge the ECB based on what they fund. They can’t fund everything so difficult choices need to be made. I’m not saying I’m in favour of cutting U50s/60s if that’s what’s happened but might be more to it. I do know that there’s huge interest in county and international U50/U60/U70s so it would be odd not to rummage down the back of the sofa if possible.
Great article.
I’m simply trying to find a club for my 15 year old daughter to play for. We live in Riccall nr Selby and I’m willing to travel as far as is needed to find a women’s team that actually takes the game seriously and plays proper cricket matches. We have loads of men’s teams but hardly any women’s teams which is shocking in 2025. I approached the pe teacher at my daughter’s school and asked about cricket and she laughed at me saying girls don’t play cricket that’s a boy’s sport. Girls play netball or hockey. How do I make people see things differently?
Hi Carly, thanks for sharing and I’ll drop you an email separately. There is loads of club cricket for your daughter so she’ll have plenty of choice, I’ll fill you in on that.
A bit different with schools cricket (I’m no expert) but sad to hear that kind of reaction from a teacher because it’s just not true.
Many girls already play cricket and that number is set to rocket in 2025. Whether or not that’s within a school environment is a different thing!
Hi Carly, I run Sessay Emeralds. You’d be more than welcome to drop me a message and bring your daughter along to Sessay.. We have girls teams at U11/13/15/19 playing midweek and 3 senior women and girls teams playing on Sundays. My email is [email protected]
A very interesting article John. At Kirkburton Cricket Club in Huddersfield we have a thriving Ladies section with numbers ever increasing. One problem, as mentioned, is finding slots for every game and then allowing time for groundskeeper duties. With a large junior section as well, we do struggle to fit every match and training session in but this is what our club is all about…….. allowing “Sport for All” in a small village environment. As regards to playing cricket at the Piece Hall…….. the slope will make that difficult!
Thanks Andrew, all the best to everyone at Kirkburton.
Over-subscribed grounds is a good problem to have in a way. As you say, providing cricket for all offers its challenges but there are often ways and means.
Was being a bit mischievous with Piece hall but I think there was going to be a cricket event planned there pre-Covid. There are some flat bits from memory!
hi John
re Malcolm birks article i attended the Yorkshire premier league north AGM in Nov And what a refreshing view from the board off directors to help clubs navigate through our modern society whims
and getting cricket played over a weekend and getting away from the must play sat cricket to give clubs opertunatiese to play sat or Sunday we also in scarbourough Ryedale area have EVENING league cricket this has being a strong part off our DNA in 1962 we had 24 teams in 2024 we had 26 teams playing cricket for 14 consecutive tues evenings all 8 ball overs in may and august we play 12 x 8 ball ores in June July we have 14 x8 ball ovres most games are self umpired and scored and under12 to 75 year olds can find a standard to enjoy a great tues evening cricket this along with either a sat or Sunday fixture again in the Ryedale area we have 2 leagues the pickering and ryedale evening league again with 30 teams taking part once a week and the esk valley evening league played around Whitby and the esk valley all the evening cricket is not ecb or ycb affiliated just get the game on so if you were inclined you could play 5 times a week in each evening league and the formality off weekends cricket all the same game being played by people from 12 to 75 plus with a common gold to play the game we all love we have the grounds with being a rural area and dont have the problems off the Mexborough and south and in hx1 Halifax were kings cross are struggling with 190 kids with no were to play all cricket has to integrate the ladies game into the open age cricket the scarbourough evening league are doing so with wykham and snainton ladies know playing in teir 3 the league have made the rules fit by splitting the leagues @ half way so the bottom teams can play against each other in the second half off the season also to keep the game available to all indoor leagues through the winter are starting next week again a cricket offer different type but still cricket being played by adults my thoughts are that we have something for every body know from the pro active premier league north were you can play against some off the best players in the county to the lower sections plus Sunday league and over 1000 people can play evening league with know specific affiliation to any governing body but common sence and common good for the game .
happy new year all John
Hi John, a detailed look as usual and your knowledge is always appreciated. A lot of midweek and varying formats across the region.
I guess it’s partly where a club is based and what is available fairly locally. Particularly midweek where you don’t want to travel too far after work.
Lots of innovation and thought going on in North/East Yorkshire by the sound of it, good to see as it encourages as many as possible to play on their own terms.
Great article, it’s been great to see the progress in girls cricket over the past couple of years.
We looked around a secondary school for my daughter (year 5) recently, we asked about cricket and they said the girls don’t play cricket at the moment ‘as that’s the way it’s always been’ but that they would ‘consider it in the future’. As a school with a great sporting reputation, I was really shocked and ultimately, despite all other aspects blowing us away, it isn’t a school we will be sending our daughter to now, as cricket is her main passion.
There is definitely a lot of work to be done for girls cricket, here in East Yorkshire, we see barely any girls involved, the difference in male/female ratio is phenomenal.
It’s great to see Yorkshire’s new structure and to hear about all the new benefits the females at the club will be getting now.
I look forward to seeing how the game grows over the next few years, exciting times ahead.
Thanks Libby, good to hear from you. A missed opportunity would be my take on excluding girls cricket as a possibility but I appreciate there’s lots of factors at play from funding to staff time and other sports that might seem more attractive to teachers than cricket. That said, if it’s a blanket no based on what’s been before then it’s missing the full picture and the changes happening.
Couldn’t agree more, exciting times ahead and best wishes to your daughter for her cricket at school and at a club/league.
Hi John, great to read your recent article on girls cricket and the lack of opportunity for them. I am involved with the MCC Foundation coaching programme, which I’m currently the Hull Hub Manager. We have a girls hub coaching programme that helps girls develop their skills through 10 weeks of free coaching based at Hymers College in Hull. It’s open for girls aged 10 – 16 to attend ( Year 6 – Year 11) We are currently actively looking for girls to attend the coaching which starts on Thursday 30th January 2025 . The only restriction we have in place, is that the girls must attend state school not a fee paying school.
The MCC Foundation does have other girls hubs in the Yorkshire area; Bradford, York, Scarborough, Huddersfield & Sheffield.
If any parents need more information about the MCCF Hull Girls Hub please feel free to ask parents to contact me or the MCC Foundation office based at Lord’s.
Hi Jonathan, thanks for the message. I’m sure you’ll get a full cohort of girls for the Hull Hub, the MCCF hubs are a fantastic opportunity to support those at state schools and I’ve written about them on here before. All the best for 2025 with your cricket.