Club Statement | Women's Tier One Submission

Leicestershire County Cricket Club is extremely disappointed to learn the Club’s submission to become one of the eight counties to secure Tier 1 status has been unsuccessful.

We would like to congratulate the eight Division One counties who have been successful with their tender, alongside the two additional counties that are to be added in 2027.

The Club strongly believes the outcome of the decision is a missed opportunity by the England and Wales Cricket Board, given the vast potential Leicestershire presents as a diverse county and its illustrious history of producing pathway players for England’s international sides.

Having assembled a strong submission, outlining an exciting vision for the future of women and girls’ cricket at Leicestershire CCC, the Club is crestfallen to discover this vision has not been shared by the ECB.

Whilst we emphatically disagree with the decision, the Club remains fully committed to developing women and girls’ cricket in Leicestershire. The proposals submitted under the tender remain our absolute ambition, however we must recognise such progression will transpire at a slower pace as a consequence of the decision.

Naturally, we will be seeking further clarification pertaining to the decision from the ECB in the coming weeks.

The Club will then reassess its position and focus on cementing Tier 2 status as soon as possible to best ensure women and girls’ cricket continues to flourish in our county.