Yorkshire and Kent Disappointed as ECB Unveils Women's Cricket Team Hosts for 2025

Yorkshire expressed surprise and disappointment at not being selected as one of the eight counties to host professional women’s cricket teams from 2025. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) awarded Tier 1 status to Durham, Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Somerset, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire and Surrey. Yorkshire and Glamorgan will join them in 2027 as part of an expansion while Leicestershire missed out altogether. Despite having a women’s performance center, Kent also missed out on hosting a team.

The decision was described as difficult to accept by Kent’s chair Simon Phillip. Yorkshire currently represented by the Northern Diamonds had expected to be included and expressed frustration in a statement. The selected counties will replace the regions that have competed in recent women’s cricket tournaments. The ECB plans to create a three-tiered domestic competition structure, aiming to increase professional women’s players by 80% by 2029 with £8m of new funding annually by 2027.

Glamorgan and Yorkshire will receive additional funding to prepare for joining the top tier in 2027. The ECB intends to add two more teams in 2029. Leicestershire expressed disappointment at not being included but remains committed to developing women’s cricket in the region.