Women in Cricket UK: How to Get Involved and Start Playing Today

Women’s cricket in the United Kingdom is growing faster than at any point in its history. The Hundred brought millions of new viewers to the women’s game, England’s women have competed at the highest levels of international cricket for decades, and local clubs across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are actively recruiting female players of all ages and abilities. Whether you have never held a bat in your life or you played a bit at school and want to pick it up again, there has never been a better moment to get involved.

This guide covers everything you need to know: the organisations supporting women’s cricket, how to find a club near you, the basic rules and skills you will need as a beginner, what village cricket looks like for women, and how to navigate the sport with confidence from your very first session.

The State of Women’s Cricket in the UK

Women’s cricket in England and Wales is governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which launched its Inspiring Generations strategy specifically to grow participation among women and girls. According to the ECB’s own figures, there are now more than 100,000 women and girls playing recreational cricket in England and Wales, and that number continues to rise year on year.

The sport at the elite level has also never been more visible. The England Women’s team competes in Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). The domestic structure includes the Charlotte Edwards Cup (a 50-over regional competition), The Hundred women’s competition, and the Women’s Cricket Super League. These competitions are broadcast on the BBC, Sky Sports and TNT Sports, meaning female role models are consistently in the public eye.

At grassroots level, the picture is equally positive. Hundreds of clubs that previously fielded only men’s sides have now established women’s and girls’ sections, supported by ECB funding, volunteer development programmes, and dedicated coaching resources.

Key Organisations Supporting Women’s Cricket

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)

The ECB is the central body for cricket in England and Wales. Its website at ecb.co.uk contains a club finder tool, a guide to women’s cricket programmes, and information about their All Stars Cricket and Dynamos Cricket programmes for younger players. The ECB also runs the Cricket for All initiative, which specifically targets under-represented groups including women and girls from all backgrounds.

County Cricket Boards

England and Wales is divided into 39 county cricket board areas, each of which has its own development officers responsible for growing the women’s game locally. Your county board is often the best first point of contact if you are unsure where to start. Examples include:

Surrey Cricket Foundation – runs women’s beginner sessions across south London and Surrey
Lancashire Cricket Foundation – organises women’s softball and hardball leagues across Greater Manchester and Lancashire
Yorkshire Cricket Foundation – active in community outreach including women’s programmes in Bradford, Leeds and Sheffield
Middlesex Cricket – coordinates women’s clubs throughout north and west London

You can find your local county board by visiting the ECB website and entering your postcode.

Cricket Scotland and Cricket Wales

If you are based in Scotland, Cricket Scotland (cricketscotland.com) is the governing body and has an active women’s programme. Cricket Wales (cricketwales.org.uk) covers the Welsh regions and supports both the Wales Women’s national team and grassroots participation. Both organisations have club finder tools on their websites.

The Women’s Cricket Association (Historical Context)

The Women’s Cricket Association (WCA) was founded in 1926 and ran women’s cricket in England independently for over 70 years before merging with the ECB in 1998. Understanding this history is useful because many older clubs still carry the traditions and values established by the WCA, particularly around inclusive, sociable cricket that welcomes all levels of player.

How to Find a Women’s Cricket Club Near You

Finding a club is simpler than most people expect. Here are the most reliable methods:

Use the ECB Club Finder

Go to ecb.co.uk and use the Play Cricket club finder. Enter your postcode and filter by women’s cricket. The tool shows clubs that are registered with the ECB and have active women’s sections. Many listings include contact details, training night information, and notes on whether the club welcomes complete beginners.

Contact Your Local Council Leisure Department

Many local councils in the UK maintain sports participation databases and can point you towards clubs that use council-owned grounds. Councils in areas such as Nottinghamshire, Hampshire and Kent are particularly active in signposting women to cricket clubs as part of Sport England-funded community initiatives.

Sport England’s ‘Join a Club’ Portal

Sport England (sportengland.org) operates a national activity finder. You can search specifically for women’s cricket sessions. Sport England invests heavily in getting more women into sport and their database is regularly updated.

Social Media and Local Facebook Groups

Searching “women’s cricket [your town]” on Facebook or Instagram will often surface local clubs posting about training sessions, open days, and friendly matches. Many women’s cricket sections in village and town clubs are small, friendly communities that rely on social media to recruit new members rather than formal advertising.

Turn Up at a Village Match

If you see a local club playing on a Saturday afternoon, walk over and speak to someone. Village cricket in the UK is famously welcoming, and a surprising number of women join clubs simply by watching a game and asking questions. Club members are almost always happy to talk about how you can join.

What Happens at Your First Session

The thought of turning up somewhere new where everyone seems to know what they are doing can feel daunting. Here is what to realistically expect at a beginner women’s cricket session in the UK:

Warm-up activities – Most sessions begin with a light jog, stretching, and simple throwing and catching drills. You do not need to be a great catcher on day one.
Batting basics – A coach or experienced player will introduce you to the correct grip and stance. You will usually face some gentle underarm or slow overarm deliveries to begin with.
Bowling introduction – You will be shown a basic bowling grip and asked to run up and release the ball at a target. Accuracy comes with time.
Fielding practice – Ground fielding and basic catching are introduced in a fun, low-pressure way.
A short game – Many beginner sessions end with a short game or a structured drill that feels like a match. This is where most people start to enjoy themselves.

Wear comfortable sports clothing and trainers for your first session. You do not need to buy any equipment until you decide you want to continue.

Understanding the Basic Rules of Cricket

Cricket has a reputation for being complicated, but the fundamentals are straightforward. Here is a plain-English summary of what you need to know as a beginner:

The Object of the Game

Two teams of eleven players take turns to bat and field. The batting team tries to score as many runs as possible. The fielding team tries to get the batters out. The team with the most runs at the end wins.

How Runs Are Scored

When a batter hits the ball, they run between two sets of wooden stumps called wickets at either end of the pitch. Each time both batters reach the opposite end, one run is scored. If the ball reaches the boundary rope along the ground, four runs are awarded automatically. If it clears the boundary without bouncing, six runs are scored.

How Batters Get Out

There are ten ways to be dismissed in cricket, but as a beginner you mainly need to know these five:

Bowled – the ball hits the stumps after the batter misses it
Caught – a fielder catches the ball before it bounces after the batter hits it
LBW (Leg Before Wicket) – the ball hits the batter’s leg in front of the stumps when it would otherwise have hit them
Run out – a fielder hits the stumps with the ball while a batter is out of their crease (safe zone) during a run
Stumped – the wicketkeeper removes the bails while the batter is out of their crease

Overs and Innings

A bowler delivers six balls in a row, which is called an over. Different formats have different numbers of overs. A Twenty20 match has 20 overs per side and lasts about three hours. A 50-over match takes a full day. A Test match lasts up to five days and has no fixed number of overs. Most beginner and recreational women’s cricket in the UK is played in Twenty20 or pairs formats.

The Laws of Cricket

Cricket is governed by the Laws of Cricket, which are maintained and updated by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. The MCC published a significant update to the Laws in 2022. You can read the full Laws for free at lords.org. The Laws apply equally to men’s and women’s cricket.

How to Bat: A Beginner’s Guide

Batting is the aspect of cricket that most beginners are most eager to try. Here is what to focus on in your early weeks:

The Grip

Hold the bat handle with both hands close together near the top of the handle. The V-shapes formed between your thumb and forefinger on each hand should point roughly down the back of the bat. The grip should be firm but relaxed, not white-knuckle tight.

The Stance

Stand sideways to the bowler with your non-dominant shoulder pointing towards them (left shoulder if you are right-handed). Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, weight evenly distributed. The bat rests on the ground near your back foot.

Watching the Ball

This sounds obvious but it is the single most important skill in batting. Watch the ball from the moment it leaves the bowler’s hand. Track it all the way onto your bat. Most early mistakes happen because batters look away at the last moment.

Moving Forward

Once you have the fundamentals in place, the possibilities open up considerably. The UK offers fantastic opportunities for anyone interested in this hobby, and with the right foundation you will be well placed to make the most of them.