ECB bars transgender women from playing women's cricket at any level

Transgender women will no longer be allowed to take part in women's and girls' cricket at any level in England and Wales after the ECB confirmed a change to its regulations. The decision comes in the wake of a ruling by the UK Supreme Court on the definition of a woman in equalities law, and follows similar moves in football and netball.

The ECB had previously banned transgender women from participating in its elite competitions, bringing it into line with the ICC's stance.

"With immediate effect, only those whose biological sex is female will be eligible to play in women's cricket and girls' cricket matches," the ECB said in a statement. "Transgender women and girls can continue playing in open and mixed cricket."

The governing body has not released data on how many individuals might be affected, but has pledged to work with those running the recreational game "to support people impacted by this change".

The statement continued: "Our regulations for recreational cricket have always aimed at ensuring that cricket remains as inclusive a sport as possible. These included measures to manage disparities, irrespective of someone's gender, and safeguard the enjoyment of all players. However, given the new advice received about the impact of the Supreme Court ruling, we believe the changes announced today are necessary.

"We acknowledge that this decision will have a significant impact on transgender women and girls. We will work with Recreational Cricket Boards to support people impacted by this change in our regulations.

"We await updated guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and will study this carefully.

"We maintain that abuse or discrimination has no place in our sport and are committed to ensuring that cricket is played in a spirit of respect and inclusivity."