Following confirmation by the ECB that Kent will be a Tier Two county for the period 2025-2028, the Board of Kent Cricket has authorised the creation of a dedicated Women’s and Girls’ Steering Group to support the continued growth and development of the Women’s and Girls’ elite game in Kent.

The Steering Group will be focused on two key objectives:

1. Ensuring that in the period 2025-2028, aspiring female cricketers in Kent continue to have the opportunity to develop their talent, and be part of a clear pathway to play at the highest professional level of the domestic game, potentially to go on to play for England.
   
   
2. Ensuring that Kent Cricket is in pole position to secure a place in Tier One of the new Women’s professional domestic structure when it opens up to either promotion and relegation or expansion by the 2029 season at the latest.

The Steering Group will be chaired by Kent Cricket Board Director, Dame Tracey Crouch CBE, and will bring together a skilled team with the experience required to bring the Club’s ambitions to life:

1. Dame Tracey Crouch CBE (Former MP, former Sports Minister, MD Hanover Sport)
2. Nick Aldrich (Board Director at Vodafone UK & KCCC Women & Girls Coach)
3. Simon Cook (KCCC Director of Cricket)
4. Ray Mia (Entrepreneur – Arts & Entertainment, Consultant – Innovation & Technology)
5. Leah Brown (Lawyer and Mediator, CEO of The WayFinders Group)
6. Stuart Fuller (Chief Commercial Officer – Com Laude Group, Director – The Isthmian Football League)

The Honorary Patron of the Steering Group will be The Lady Kingsdown OBE, who was the Club’s first female President serving in 2015 and 2016 and is a passionate advocate of the Women & Girls game.

Kent & England legend Lydia Greenway, who made over 100 official appearances as a Kent player and won multiple titles between 2000 & 2016, has also been retained as an Advisor.

The Club’s Board has endorsed the Steering Group’s principal priorities in preparation for the 2025 season:

1. Recruitment of two key executive roles:

• A Head of Women’s Cricket, reporting to Simon Cook, who will set the vision and develop the infrastructure for Kent Women & Girls.
• A Head Coach who will drive the on-field success that is required to support our ambitions.

The recruitment process will start soon to ensure the leadership is in place to support Kent’s entry into Tier Two

1. Grow income to drive increased investment:

Competing in women’s cricket will require additional investment; the game is in ‘growth mode’ and together we need to have a strong business model to underpin our goal.

ECB funding for Tier One teams is £1.5M annually against £230K annually for Tier Two. The Club will need to work hard to generate our own revenue to close some of this gap. We will therefore need the support – both passion and financial – of Members and commercial partners.

The Club has already received a personal pledge of £10,000 and will be launching a fundraising campaign appealing to commercial partners and individuals who share a passion for Women’s & Girls’ cricket in Kent.

Kent Cricket Members will be invited to support the growth of our Women’s cricket team with an additional contribution to the Club’s Membership. This would be optional, rather than a mandatory part of our Membership offer.

Kent Cricket CEO, Simon Storey, said: “The new Steering Group will harness all of the resources and passion for Women’s and Girls’ cricket in Kent. We have the most powerful engine in the depth of our recreational game, the excellence of our pathway and the facilities at The County Ground, Beckenham.

“We are determined to ensure that the growth of Women’s and Girls’ cricket in Kent continues to accelerate as a top Tier Two county.

“We already have a strong relationship with Surrey through the South East Stars and also with our first-class county neighbours in Essex. We are confident that the partnerships that we establish with the Tier One counties and ECB will ensure that Kent girls have a seamless pathway to the top of the game.

“By 2029, we aim to secure Tier One status and provide the opportunity for Women and Girls from across the county to play professional cricket for Kent Cricket, wearing the White Horse at the highest domestic level.”

Kent Women’s Captain, Megan Belt, said: “Having clarity on our Tier Two status and building partnerships with the Tier One counties means we can build a solid foundation and prove as a county that we have a talent pathway that is worthy of a Tier One place in the future.

“The Club has always been very supportive towards our women’s team and it’s great news that the Steering Group has been set-up to support more growth in women’s cricket in Kent.

“As players, having the chance to receive more funding than we ever have done for our Kent Women’s team means it’s still going to be an experience most players haven’t had before. I’m really looking forward to seeing Kent progress further next year and hopefully top the table.

“The creation of our Steering Group for women’s cricket shows that as a Club, we’re fully committed to the development of Women and Girls cricket in Kent.

“I’ve worked before with many of the people involved in the Steering Group and they are all highly skilled individuals that will put us on the right course for sustained success in women’s cricket for years to come.”

Picture supplied by Oyster Bay Photography.