Club ‘disappointed’ and now risk losing personnel to rivals Heather Knight says cricket will be more viable career option Richard Gould, the chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, has stressed that Yorkshire initially missing out on the revamp of the professional women’s game is not a case of the club being “punished for past sins”. From next year the current eight-team regional women’s system will switch to 15-strong full-time squads run directly by eight ­counties. ­Durham, Essex, Hampshire, ­Lancashire, Somerset, ­Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire and Surrey were those select ..read more

‘Unhealthy relationship’ with exercise and food behind decision Ex-Australia captain admits she was in denial about needing help Former Australia cricket captain Meg Lanning struggled with “an unhealthy relationship” with exercise and food leading up to her shock retirement. A self-described private person, Lanning has finally decided to share why she ended her international career last November at the age of 31. The Victorian took an extended break from cricket in 2022, returned to lead Australia to a Twenty20 World Cup title in February 2023, but suddenly pulled out of last year’s Ashes fo ..read more

Yorkshire edged out by neighbours in north-east Essex, Hants, Lancs, Notts, Somerset, Surrey, Warks also get nod Durham’s chief executive, Tim Bostock, said he was “delighted” with the England and Wales Cricket Board’s decision to award the county the right to host a professional women’s team, after they beat off strong competition from neighbouring Yorkshire. The first-class counties have spent the past two and a half months competing for the right to host one of the eight new professional “tier 1” women’s teams, and in March presented their bids to a panel which included Kelly Simmons, for ..read more

All-rounder rewarded after recent Bangladesh series Retired Meg Lanning the only player to drop off last year’s list Sophie Molineux’s successful return to international cricket has been recognised by Cricket Australia with a central contract for the blockbuster 2024-25 season, which features a T20 World Cup, an ODI series against India and the Women’s Ashes. Molineux was recalled to the national side for February’s' one-off Test match against South Africa following an injury-plagued period that saw her lose her contract in 2022 ..read more

New Zealand win by seven wickets with 11 overs to spare England clinch ODI series 2-1 after claiming the T20s 4-1 A Sophie Devine century off the final ball has guided New Zealand to a seven-wicket victory over England in the final game of the ODI series in Hamilton. Devine, the Kiwi captain, came to the crease at 90 for three but dug in and anchored her side to a comprehensive victory, finishing with 100 runs off 93 balls. She finished the game in style, hitting a six to bring up her century and secure her side’s victory ..read more

Updates from the midnight BST start time at Seddon Park Have any thoughts? Send Megan an email 4th over: England 22-1 (Knight 1, Bouchier 17) Rowe starts the over with a wide, just drifting down legside past Beaumont. But the next ball she recovers her line brilliantly to dismiss Beaumont LBW, bringing England captain Heather Knight to the crease. Knight only takes one ball to settle before she gets a quick single to get herself off the mark and bring the dominant batter in Bouchier back into the action. An excellent over from Rowe. Rowe gets her line exactly right and the ball slams into Be ..read more

Australia beat Bangladesh by 77 runs in third T20 international Vlaeminck snares three wickets in second game back for national team Tayla Vlaeminck has boosted her injury comeback as Australia’s women’s cricket team wrapped up a triumphant tour of Bangladesh with a 77-run victory in the third T20 international. Pace bowler Vlaeminck took 3-12 from her four overs as Bangladesh were dismissed for 78 after Australia posted 6-155 from their 20 overs at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium on Thursday ..read more

Australia complete a series sweep over Bangladesh with a 77-run victory as Tayla Vlaeminck claims three wickets in the third T20 5th over: Australia 34-0 (Healy 22, Mooney 10) Beth Mooney starts the over with an outrageous reverse sweep / ramp shot that flies over the keeper’s head and deserved more than just a single. Fariha Islam then stops the flow of runs with a tidy over, the best of the innings so far for Bangladesh. 4th over: Australia 30-0 (Healy 20, Mooney 9) Marufa Akter switches ends as Bangladesh turn to pace at both ends. Healy finds another boundary, this time hitting straighter ..read more

England 252; New Zealand 196 (45 ov)England win by 56 runs Beaumont’s 96-ball 81 leads tourists to unassailable 2-0 lead England have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in their one-day international series against New Zealand with a 56-run win in the second match in Hamilton. After being dismissed for a duck in the first match on Monday, opener Tammy Beaumont bounced back with a stellar 81 stand to get England off to a hot start at Seddon Park ..read more

Over-by-over report from one-day international in Hamilton Jones saves England in opening ODI against New Zealand with any thoughtsTweet @Simon_Burnton Amy Jones is loving NZ. She says on as well as off the pitch it’s been enjoyable, they had a good little hit yesterday and are ready for today. They’ve had some good discussions as a batting group about communication and how they can work together in saying the right things at the right time under pressure. There’s a bit of sun but not much grass, and the pitch report is that it’s a batter’s day – but with something for the bowlers early door ..read more