Counties told to spend cash on women's game or risk losing it

Counties hosting professional women's teams will be strictly monitored to ensure the England and Wales Cricket Board's multimillion-pound investment is being used to achieve gender equality, Beth Barrett-Wild, the ECB's director of the women's professional game has said.

- Raf Nicholson

Should counties fail to deliver an equitable environment they would risk having their funding withdrawn. A national women's player and staff survey is being introduced to encourage whistleblowing as the ECB seeks to ensure that the £1.5m provided to 10 of the first-class counties is being invested appropriately.

Eight counties - Durham, Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Surrey and Warwickshire - won the right to host professional tier one women's teams next season after a competitive bidding process this year, while two teams will join them in 2026 (Yorkshire) and 2027 (Glamorgan).