Expressions of Interest sought for Girls’ leagues in 2025

With thoughts turning to the 2025 season as the days get longer, we are looking for Expressions of Interest for our Girls offer this Summer.
There will be Softball and Hardball options, which will hopefully provide an offer that girls across the county can engage with.
These offers have been developed in line with consultation from clubs to ensure as many girls as possible have the opportunity to engage in club cricket.
Softball Activity
Girls Softball Festivals
These will be hosted on separate Sundays, with one festival per month during, May, June, July & August with the ECB Softball competition taking place in July. Format for the festivals will be six-a-side pairs matches to provide familiarity with the league activity.
Registration will be circulated ahead of each festival and fixtures generated from those. The format will also be updated depending on the number of teams entered.
Girls Astro Turf Softball Festivals – New for 2024
Date: April 2025 TBC
Time: 10am until 4pm (teams will be allocated a time for their fixture slot, arriving just for their fixtures)
Venue: Wrekin College Hockey Pitches, Sutherland Road, TF1 3BH
Cost: TBC
Friendly six-a-side matches, to kick start the season.
Hardball Activity
We are once again going to reshuffle the hardball leagues to give as many of the girls as possible the opportunity to get involved. Proposed hardball league offers are:
- U11 Incrediball/Hardball – Use of pads throughout, Incrediball for first fixture against each team but hardball during return fixture, unless arranged directly with coach/manager from the opposing team
- U13 Hardball
- U16 Hardball
Based on feedback from clubs and managing ground access, the above leagues will have the following default fixtures days:
U11 Girls – Monday
U13 Girls – Tuesday
U16 Girls – Wednesday
These have been allocated in line with Junior League activity, to ensure ground usage is managed and that girls that able and willing can also engage in Junior League matches.
Hardball Taster Sessions
To support the girls who would like to transition into hardball we are looking to schedule one off sessions for the girls to come along to during the summer. These will be at set venues and the girls will be invited to register and gain experience batting, bowling and fielding against a hardball.
Club Coach Support
We will also be offering events and information for male and female coaches who work with girls’ teams at clubs to develop their skills and knowledge. Please keep an eye out for further information surrounding these sessions.
There are some information documents and case studies currently available on icoachcricket: HERE.
Formal structure, rules and format can be finalised once we have team entries confirmed. We will be allowing over-age players but there will be a maximum of three per team.
We will once again look to run eight-a-side across all three leagues, utilising 16 over/T16 pairs format to allow the girls to experience both and encourage clubs with less girls to get involved.
Within both the leagues and softball festivals above, we are keen to facilitate Renegade or combined club teams where a club may not have the number of girls to enter under their club’s name.
We will look to keep these regionally based where possible. Please get in touch if this is something you would be interested in.
The deadline for Expression of Interest is Friday, March 7.
Girl’s Softball & Hardball Summer 2025 EOI Form can be found via the link – HERE.
If anyone has any questions, they can contact Women & Girls Recreational Cricket Officer Katie Rushton via katie.rushton@crickethshropshire.co.uk