Durham receive tier one women's professional cricket status but Yorkshire made to wait

Durham CEO Tim Bostock, head of female talent pathway Rachel Hopkins and director of cricket Marcus North (L-R) after the announcement. Credit: Durham Cricket

Durham are one of the eight counties to receive tier one professional women's team as part of a major restructure of female cricket.

However, Yorkshire were overlooked as part of the initial bidding process and will be made to wait for the top flight expansion.

All 18 First Class Counties and MCC were invited to tender to receive tier one status with the vast majority submitting bids. A panel comprising ECB board members, executives and independent members then awarded tier one status to the eight teams

Durham will be joined by Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Nottingham, Surrey, Somerset and Warwickshire to form the new professional structure which will be in place from the 2025 season and replace the current regional league format.

The decision to award Durham professional women’s status comes just over 30 years afterthe professional men’s game came to the North East.

Durham have received tier one status. Credit: PA

Durham Cricket chief executive, Tim Bostock, said: “This is a monumental moment in the history of Durham Cricket and women’s sport in the region. The bidding process was extremely competitive, but we were confident the North East was the right place for one of the teams and that we had delivered a bid that demonstrated our ability and enthusiasm to bring a team here.

“This is a huge opportunity to develop the game across the region and it will also bring a huge economic boost to the club and the county. The financial investment will be considerable both on and off the pitch and is set to create over 30 new jobs and bring new commercial opportunities.”

The new women’s team will play their first games in the summer of 2025. The tiers will be "closed" for the first three seasons meaning there will be no promotion or relegation until at least 2028.

The Press Association has reported that Durham essentially edged out Yorkshire in a head-to-head for the eighth tier one place.

Yorkshire will have to wait until 2027 for tier one status which they will receive along with Glamorgan. Both teams will receive funding to help prepare their coaching pathway in the meantime.

Yorkshire have expressed their disappointment at missing out on tier one status. Credit: PA

The news has been met with an unhappy response in Headingley on the eve of the new women’s domestic campaign.

The Northern Diamonds won the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy in 2022 and finished as runners-up in the previous two seasons.

A statement from the club’s board read: “Yorkshire County Cricket Club are surprised and disappointed not to be awarded one of the initial Tier 1 women’s teams as part of the first allocations from the ECB.

“The news is especially frustrating and upsetting for the players and staff at the Northern Diamonds. They have been trying to deal with it whilst preparing for their first game of the season in two days. Our focus is on supporting them through this difficult period and gaining as much clarity on what the future looks like.

“Yorkshire has the largest active playing base of women and girls in the country, has produced many players that have gone on to represent England in the women’s game, winning the County Championship 16 times and Headingley has been successfully hosting the Northern Diamonds since 2020, so naturally the news has been tough to take.”

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