Women's Cricket across Europe gets US$15,000 grant

Eight new women's cricket initiatives across Europe, including projects in Finland, Switzerland, Germany and Spain, are set to benefit from a total of US$15,000 in funding.

The money, a one-off payment made to all five ICC regions,* will be used in Europe to create an awareness of women's cricket and develop the game at all levels.

Among the schemes set to benefit are Project Phoenix in Finland, a plan to revive the women's game there, and plans to establish a women's league in Germany, three teams in Switzerland and growth from the grass roots in Spain.

And further along the development path, the money will help fund the European Cricket Council (ECC) European Women's Cricket Academy for the top three Associate countries - Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands.

One of the Members set to receive the funding, Affiliate Member Finland, currently has just 15 senior women's players and no female coaches or umpires.

However, Finland does have 447 girls involved at a junior level and, according to spokesperson Maija Scamans, the money will be crucial in reviving the game there.

"After a strong start some years ago women's cricket has been in hibernation in Finland and we hope the impact of the project will be huge," she said.

"One of the long term objectives is to lay the foundations to offer cricket as an option to school-age girls and create a path to the senior game as well as offering it as an alternative - especially indoors - to the nationwide women's sport of Finnish baseball," added Ms Scamans.

The total of US$15,000 for the eight projects comes from an ICC Women's Cricket Development Grant and Richard Holdsworth, the ICC European Development Manager, said the cash injection continued an exciting 12 months for the women's game following the merger of the International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC) and the ICC in 2005.

"The projects that will be funded thanks to this money will help to increase the profile of the women's game and ensure its long term sustainability," he said.

"It is important for all 27 European Member countries to include girls and women in the game of cricket to make it an all-inclusive sport.

"These new initiatives are a major boost for the game and we hope this will be the start of a significant increase in women's participation in Europe," added Mr. Holdsworth.

Applications for funding in the European region were reviewed by a panel of Richard Holdsworth, Philip Hudson (ICC European Development Officer), Gill McConway (European representative on the ICC Women's Committee) and Jenny Thornton (ICC Project Officer - Europe).

All applicants have been asked to submit regular reports and updates on their initiatives and details will be posted in the women's section of the ECC website (www.ecc-cricket.com) in due course.

Some projects are already in progress and the funding will ensure their sustainability.

The projects selected for funding are:

Denmark - Establishment of eight junior women's cricket teams and a nationwide Kwik Cricket competition starting in April 2006.

ECC/Scotland/Ireland/The Netherlands - ECC European Women's Cricket Academy, in association with LloydsTSB Scotland and hosted by Cricket Scotland from 7 - 11 August 2006.

Finland - Project Phoenix, to revive women's cricket in Finland (initially in Greater Helsinki) through extensive advertising and recruiting, beginning in Spring 2006.

Germany - To enhance and promote the role of women in all aspects of cricket, to establish a women's team in each state and to promote an active and sustainable women's league nationwide with a minimum of five teams participating in limited-over matches, and seven-a-side and indoor tournaments.

Jersey - To promote women's cricket in a safe environment, to enhance their skills, introduce them to hardball cricket and ultimately to produce junior girls and women's cricket teams to compete home and away. 10 sessions have been scheduled from January - April 2006.

Spain - To establish and develop women's cricket in Spain. Coaching began in February with the long-term plan of regular sessions culminating in regular matches during the summer.

Scotland - U/21 Development Series, a series of matches against district standard U14 and U16 boy's teams. The plan is also to improve the standard of women's cricket.

The series will take place during the summer, prior to the European Women's U/21 Championships.

Switzerland - The Swiss Young Ladies Cricket Initiative, providing girls with access to equipment and facilities with the aim of establishing three teams, in Zurich, Basle and Geneva, in 2006.

* The four other ICC Regions are the Americas, Africa, Asia and East Asia-Pacific.