Cricket Australia calls off women's U-19 championship

Cricket Australia has called off this season's women's national Under-19 championship after only two states and a territory nominated teams for the tournament.

The decision to cancel the tournament - for which only New South Wales, Victoria and Australian Capital Territory confirmed squads - comes just two months after CA handed out contracts to their female international players and six months before Australia host the women's World Cup.

"We're very proud of our women's cricket program," David Gilbert, the Cricket New South Wales chief executive, told the Sydney Morning Herald. "We put a lot of resources into it. But there are times you just feel like you're not getting support.

"We have seen it happen bit by bit - states not fielding teams at every level. You just wouldn't see that in male cricket. It shouldn't happen in female cricket. We're not talking about under-12s or under-14s. It's under-19s, the step below top-level cricket. If I was a talented 17 or 18-year-old girl and it was my turn to play in the national championship, I'd be very upset about having this taken away from me."

Lisa Sthalekar, the Australian vice-captain, who made it to the national team through age-group cricket, said CA's decision was upsetting. "To not have this tournament for the first time in decades is a shock," Sthalekar said. "It doesn't quite make sense when you've had CA saying publicly that the girls' game is growing."