On a sunny morning in late October, I found myself walking into Sophia Gardens, the home of Welsh cricket. Instead of being met with the usual sound of bat on ball, the air was full of conversation and shared ambition. This was the inaugural Women and Girls in Cricket Conference, staged by Cricket Wales. A landmark event bringing together voices from across women’s sport, including international athletes, women’s health researchers, and media.
After a summer in press boxes across the country, most of which are still male dominated, I was struck by the sense of community in the room. Individuals from a mix of age groups and backgrounds were united by one aim: to build a stronger, more inclusive future for women’s and girls’ cricket in Wales and, to be frank, for sport more widely.
The event marks a significant moment for the sport in Wales, reflecting the rapid growth of the women’s game across the UK. In 2020, excluding those on national team contracts, there were just 40 professional women cricketers in England and Wales. Today the picture is vastly different, with eight fully professional sides. By 2027, Glamorgan women are set to join them as Wales’ first fully professional side.
Women’s participation in Welsh Cricket has seen similarly extraordinary growth, up 288% since 2018. Speaking exclusively to Gair Rhydd on the growth of the women’s game, Cricket Wales CEO Barry Cawte said: “It’s an incredible feeling really, because I think it’s a sign of the evolution of women’s and girls’ sport, and I say evolution, but perhaps the word is revolution. It is slowly evolving from a traditional white middle-class men’s game to a game that is inclusive for all. I think that’s where we want sport to be.” Cawte’s words neatly encapsulate the ambitious messaging that ran through the day. Welsh cricket is not only catching up but is playing a crucial role in pushing the sport forwards.
The line-up of speakers perfectly reflected the diversity of Cricket Wales’ ambitions, from GP Samara Afzal to women’s health researcher Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr. Current GB hockey player and Olympian Tess Howard spoke about the importance of inclusive kit policy. After leading a successful campaign enabling international women’s hockey players to wear shorts, as well as skorts, Tess formed Inclusive Sportwear. Concerned with the fact 1/3 of girls drop out of sports due to puberty, she has one aim: “To enable choice and comfort through kit policy”.
Ria Burrage-Male, former international athlete turned business owner, spoke about the power of allies. She drew on the example of Katherine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as an officially registered competitor. When an official attempted to force Switzer off the course, her boyfriend stood in to defend her. Labelled an “infiltrator” by the press, Switzer is a profound reminder that a push for equality does not have to be provided by women alone.
Beyond the formalities of presentations, the conference provided an inspiring space for networking. Organisations from across sport, including Maiden Cricket, Tigerseyebra, and Her Game Too (with whom I attended), filled the room with creative energy and shared purpose.
“Not just a new chapter for women’s cricket but a redefining of what it means to belong in sports’ wider landscape.”
What stood out most, however, was the mix of attendees. Amongst the crowd were young players, executives, seasoned coaches, with one noticeably young potential cricketer in a pram acting as a symbol of the game’s future. It was a reminder to all that UK women’s sport stretches across age groups, backgrounds, and ambitions, creating a community that feels as dynamic as it does determined.
The professionalisation of Glamorgan’s woman’s side in 2027 will mark a milestone. But at Sophia Gardens, surrounded by those shaping the transformation of the Welsh game, it was impossible not to feel that something bigger is unfolding.