Women’s Hardball Leagues

There are currently four hard ball cricket offers for women in Warwickshire to cover all abilities and standards, from development leagues to premier league cricket in the West Midlands Women’s League.

In Warwickshire, there are plenty of opportunities to participate in regular competitive hardball cricket.

Warwickshire Cricket Foundation supports women’s teams of all experience levels in Warwickshire and Birmingham.

There are three leagues that teams can enter, depending on their ability and skill level. A mid-week Hundred Ball competition runs concurrently with the ECB-run The Hundred.

It’s an exciting time for women’s cricket in Warwickshire as we are rapidly expanding to accommodate the growing number of people interested in playing regular hardball cricket.

Gabby Basketter

Gabby Basketter

Women & Girls’ Club Development Officer

Women’s Hardball Development League

This is WCF’s entry level offer for Women’s Hardball cricketers. The development league is mainly targeted at newer players into hardball cricket playing against those of a similar standard, a majority of teams who have entered these leagues have progressed from a few years of softball cricket and want to add new challenge.

These games are 8 to 11 a side and can either be Pairs cricket 16-20 overs, or T20s. Whichever format and number of players, must be agreed in advance to the game by captains and teams must be of equal numbers.

These games are scheduled to be played on Sundays, however if playing more local games, they can be played on weeknight evenings. Teams are all based with Warwickshire.

West Midlands Counties League

A stepping stone for those teams who have had a few years of experience in the hardball development league and want to challenge themselves before taking the leap into the Women’s West Midlands League, which tends to require more travel, longer formats and more players with county playing experience.

The games will be a longer format, traditional rules, 30-35 overs, with T20 games as well. Games will be Sundays only and 11 a side. Teams are split regionally within the West Midlands, and Warwickshire and Worcestershire based sides are grouped together. The winner of this league, will play in a play-off with the Staffordshire/Shropshire based league for a place in Division 2 of the West Midlands Women’s League.

Women’s Hundred Ball Cup

This is WCF’s newest offer for hardball clubs who play limited amounts of cricket throughout the summer and want to play more local and competitive matches.

This will be 100 ball format, 11 a side traditional rules cricket. These games will be played during the later summer months of July and August.

Similar to The Hundred, this will be a knockout competition with an eliminator and final’s day in August or September 2024.

If you’re interested in entering, please contact Gabby Basketter.

West Midlands Women’s League

This league is split into 3 divisions, Premier (the “Birmingham League” of Women’s club cricket), Division 1 and 2. Players in this league tend to be the most experienced female hardball cricketers from within the region, with Central Sparks pathway players, Women’s County players and Junior County Age group players forming the majority of teams.

Matches are played on allocated Sundays across the summer and are either 40 or 45 over cricket with traditional rules. This league is spread across the entire West Midlands region.

If you’re looking to enter a team in this league, please click here to find out more information.