Is The ECB Hindering Women’s Participation In Cricket?

 In 2017, England Women’s Cricket Team came away triumphant from the World Cup, grasping the trophy and inspiring thousands of girls along the way, by showing how incredible the game of cricket is and how girls all over the world can get involved. Recently, the ECB have introduced a ‘’Women’s Soft Ball Cricket Festival’’ in a hope to encourage more girls to take part; however, it has come under scrutiny from many women as it potentially comes across patronising. Do we need a soft ball to play with? Or is that we are incapable of understanding the rules? Is the aim to attract women, or to utterly belittle us?

The women winning the World Cup was an amazing advert for cricket, inspiring a nation and bringing together fans all across the country. It showed an immense display of positivity around not just women’s cricket, but women’s sport in general. Fans which included thousands of girls were gripped by the fantastic games and the chance of England winning. There is no doubt that it improved participation in cricket from girls, and inspired many girls to now go get into sport, and that they can do something just as well as anyone else can, or even go one further than any male teams have as England showed. There was a buzz around women’s cricket for a period of time after that final, it was being spoken about more than ever in my opinion, and I heard people discussing it around me, which left me feeling so proud of that team and the idea women’s sport was getting recognition that it needs. Throughout that time, girls really did run the world.

However, since that incredible spectacle, it seems that we are just going round in circles with women’s participation in cricket. The introduction of the soft ball tournament struck home that they don’t believe women enjoy the game as it is, which was further portrayed when the new proposed format ‘The Hundred’ was advertised to be attracted to women, especially mums. This suggesting that we currently cannot understand the game, and that we need a new format to help us be attracted to cricket. Personally, I have ample ability to understand the various formats of cricket, and what the ECB branded as ‘’baffling rules’ during their advertisement of the soft ball tournament. It is not beyond the capability of women to watch, and enjoy a cricket game. This negative marketing of cricket for girls and women watching cricket makes you realise that the people in charge of the game have such little faith in women in cricket, after everything our very own women’s team did, it seems to be being undone fairly quickly. The inspiration so many girls felt, has been took away as they now feel they have to take part in a simplified game for them to take part.

Throughout the world cup that our women won, 50% of ticket sales were to females, showing the interest for the game is there, but somehow the ECB have managed to patronise most of that audience by implying that they can’t understand, or participate in the usual rules of cricket or focus on a format which is in fact only 20 balls less than a current format. The England women’s team did not need a soft ball, less balls, a new set of rules to go out and win a world cup so why do others girls? It feels like it is one big circle, of positivity around women’s sport, inspirations and participation all increasing, but then gets brought back down by the thoughts that women have limited interest or ability in a sport that I know so many women love, and certainly have no problem understanding, even after a few cocktails! There is plenty of other ways to get women and girls into cricket, its been shown by the ‘All Stars’ campaign that plenty of girls have shown their interest into the game from grassroot clubs and that this is also on the rise with more and more signing up to the programme.

The issue also with the current situation the ECB believe to be that not many families are choosing cricket as an activity to take their children to, therefore explaining that they believe they need a new format to appeal to these families, and in particular mums. The new format is not going to all of a sudden turn mum’s ideas about cricket around, cricket and counties need to ensure that they produce a spectacle that is for a family. It is not the format that is limiting the potential of our current formats, it just needs a little attention in the family friendly department. Counties are putting all their efforts into making a cricket match a family activity with kids zones, family stands or activities and there is no reason this cannot attract the desired audience. Mothers aren’t thinking of how many balls an over there is, if they will get hit with a ball, or if they wont be able to understand it, they are thinking about giving their children the best fun possible, and getting value for money. Mothers can be just as much of part of the cricket audience as anyone else, if its done the right way.

Participation in women’s sport is on the rise certainly, however after our girls achieved the biggest triumph in cricket and gave inspiration to so many girls it seems that it is almost being washed away. Even though girls are enjoying cricket up and down the country, and women can sit and watch 5 days of a test match and understand it fully, the ECB still feels that we need a simplified version of the game with less risk to be hurt in to be attracted to it. Soon they may realise that if they just showed a little bit more faith in the female audience, it may solve their supposed problem…

My Views On 'The Hundred'

The ECB chairman has now announced that the newly introduced format of 'The Hundred' is set in stone, so its here to stay. In 2020, a new franchise tournament will grace England & Wales in which 8 teams will compete in the 100-ball format, and the ECB hoping it would attract a new audience, and there lies the problem I believe. 

The tournament was presented in a way that it was portrayed the focus was to simplify cricket, and its existing formats to women, and especially mum's can understand the game, and then to attract the younger generation to the game as well. Firstly, myself being a woman, can confirm I don't need a new tournament to help me understand cricket, along with many other women I know we manage it just fine! Plus, just because you have delivered a human, does not automatically make you incapable of understanding sport. This idea did not go down well at all, I certainly was outraged that the people in charge of the sport I love thought that I was not able to understand it, or would lack interest in it purely because i'm female, when I think there is plenty of women out there that show they have the same passion for cricket. 

In terms of attracting the younger generation, it is to some extent true that children these days are not as attracted to the wonderful game as they once were, such as before the Ashes 2005. However, there is 50,000 children signed up to the (very good, ECB I will give you some credit) 'All Stars' programme, proving the interest of children is there and that they do love the game. Personally, I believe children do have an interest in the game, I can't walk around Edgbaston without getting hit with a plastic cricket ball or being shouted 'heads!', kids absolutely love that. Some counties also do a fantastic job at attracting the younger audience, and ensuring its a family friendly environment with various activities for children and a family can enjoy a day out without breaking the bank. There is plenty of ways as well that you can attract to children, without having to invent a new format! If the Big Bash can seem to come up with ways to sell out their stadiums with the T20 format, there is no reason we can't do the same. 

It is a sad state of affairs when the current body of people in charge of cricket have little faith in the sport that so many people love with so much passion for that they feel they have to invent something new to attract to this new audience. Issues from this may arise, it may alienate the current millions of people loving cricket as it makes them feel that their support is not good enough and this new audience is now a priority. But what about us? Why sell the sport to people who currently don't enjoy it or watch it, when they have millions out there who are willing to give so much already to the sport. In my opinion, its all good and well trying to attract a new audience, and especially the younger generation to cricket, the more the merrier, but it doesn't need a new format to do this. 

Opinions came in thick and fast when this new format was announced, and it seemed to follow a pattern, T20 can do all the stuff they are promising this new format will. Invest in the wonderful tournament which we already have, 'Vitality Blast' which provides some magnificent entertainment. This tournament does have the potential to challenge the best in the world, it just needs someone to have a little faith in it and tweek it a little. This first has to come from cricket being accessible to all, which is potentially the underlying problem. It's not the fact that people don't enjoy the game, or that this new audience will need a shorter format to understand it, it may be that they aren't able to access the game. A Sky Sports membership costs a fair bit, tickets also can be pricey (many counties do their best to limit this for families) and the rise of phones and social media now means cricket has to be available on those as well. Bringing cricket back to terrestrial TV would be a great start, giving the opportunity for everyone to watch and witness what an incredible sport it can be, which will ultimately attract people along. People need an insight into the game, the atmosphere and the fun, not something to show they need it simplifying, potentially patronizing many people in the process. 

There is no doubt that there is some curiosity circling around the circuit, fans will be eager to see how the tournament fairs, how the proposed 10 ball over comes into play and ultimately the reaction from the 'new audience', if it will it make any considerable difference. But the question still remains of its really needed, do we need a new format to attract a new audience or are people being blind to other ways of attracting people? 

It has been hard for all cricket fans to see the people in charge of cricket say that the current tournament so many enjoy is mediocre and that their support may not be enough, but mostly that those people don't have the faith or love of cricket in the same way so many fans do. The Hundred will provide a new spectacle certainly, but its quite ironic that their aim is to attract a new audience by giving them a shorter game to understand, when in fact adding a new format is complicating the game further, logic of England Cricket never fails to amaze me. Let's see what 2020 brings, which is of course when I will supposedly understand cricket?