ECB Lady Taverners National Finals reach conclusion at Loughborough University

The national final of the inaugural ECB Lady Taverner's Under 15 and Under 13 Club Championship will be held on Saturday 12th July at Loughborough University.

Over 150 girls teams began the tournament in April, with the winners from each of four regions (Midlands, North, South East and South West) securing places in the round-robin finals.

Each team will play the other once, in a 8-over match and the team with the most points will win the competition.

The teams competing in the U15 Club Competition are: Gilmortan (Derbys) representing the North; Lullington (Leics) representing the Midlands; The Mote (Kent) representing the South East and Mid Glamorgan (Wales) representing the South West.

In the U13 Club Competition, teams competing are: West Notts (Notts) from the Midlands; Durham City (Durham) from the North; Aylesbury Girls (Bucks) from the South East and Bath (Somerset) from the South West.

In May 2000, the ECB appointed four women's club cricket development officers (WCCDOs), funded by Sport England, for the four regions. The emergence of 147 new girls' cricket clubs since that time, culminating in the national finals, is a testament to the growth in the women's game spearheaded by the WCCDOs.

Speaking on the tournament, Gill McConway, ECB Executive Director for Women's Cricket said "there has been phenomenonal growth at grass roots level in the women's game and I'm delighted that so many young cricketers have had the opportunity to play competative club cricket in the Lady Taverner's National Club Competitions. Many of the clubs participating didn't even exist two years ago so for them to be participating in a national final is fantastic".

Margaret Price from The Lady Taverners said "we are delighted to be supporting girls cricket and continuing the long tradition of the Lord's and Lady Taverners involvement in the development of the game".

In addition to the regional winners, the regional runners-up will compete for the ECB Lady Taverner's Plate at Loughborough. In the U15 age group, the four clubs are: Tutbury (Staffs), Knaresborough (Yorks), Gerrards Cross (Bucks) and NW Dorset (Dorset).

In the U13 age group, the teams are: Yardley (Warks), Headstone Dollies (Middlesex) and Bradnich (Devon).