England cricket legend Lydia Greenway has today announced the launch of her newest project, the Girls Cricket Club, a trailblazing platform to accelerate the growth of female cricket around the world through the sharing of knowledge, resources and opportunities.

The announcement comes in time for Women’s Big Cricket Month, an ECB initiative in June to give more women and girls the opportunity to experience cricket, and the inaugural Hundred tournament in July which will see men’s and women’s competitions run alongside each other and headlined with a women’s match in a historic moment for gender equality in the sport.

The Girls Cricket Club will complement Greenway’s successful Cricket for Girls, which will continue to focus on building successful girls cricket programmes in schools and clubs by developing the teachers and coaches, whilst the new platform will focus on the players. The Girls Cricket Club aims to connect female cricketers around the world, serve as an independent voice for girls and women within cricket and to provide female-specific resources to girls and women of all ages and backgrounds.

Greenway is also soon to announce an exciting new concept as a product of the Girls Cricket Club which aims to uncover the world’s next best female cricket all-rounder in a showcase of athleticism and skill within the women’s game. Details will be announced at a launch event in June at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground.

With 225 appearances for England, including a World T20 and World Cup victory in 2009 and five Ashes series’, Greenway is one of the best female cricketers to have played the game and was among the first to pioneer professional cricket for women earning a coveted central contract with the ECB in 2014. Greenway says she is driven to reach girls both with a passion for cricket, as well as those who may not otherwise be exposed to cricket and to provide them with equal opportunities to play the game.

“Ultimately we want girls to feel a sense of belonging within cricket and to promote the message that cricket is equally as much female as it is male. We’re creating opportunities for girls of all backgrounds to fall in love with the game and to benefit from sport – whether that’s going on to play at the highest level or to make amazing friends, develop confidence, leadership skills and find a community. Our ethos is progression, not perfection and that applies both on and off the pitch. It’s about harnessing the power of sport to achieve in all aspects of life,” says Greenway.

A 13-year veteran of the game, Greenway has recruited 16 influential women in cricket to join the Girls Cricket Club Advisory Board, including international players, coaches and officials from the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Brazil. The Advisory Board will input on the club’s strategy and direction as well as participating in girls’ cricket camps and serving as spokespeople on issues impacting the women’s game. The Advisory Board is comprised of; Hannah Thompson, Roberta Moretti Avery, Emily Drumm, Ciara Metcalfe, Jenny Gunn, Jo Hackett, Tash Farrant, Carla Rudd, Hannah Jelfs, Jenna Searls, Sangy Thievendra, Fran Hide, Sue Strachan, Emily Starr, Kristy Miall and Sheromie Brewster.

“Advocacy is an important pillar for us. While we’ve come a long way and are seeing some amazing initiatives and opportunities within the women’s game, there is a still a way to go reach equality within our sport. We’re lucky to have Advisory Board members from all facets of the game who will be our eyes and ears and lead us on our mission,” Greenway says.

The Girls Cricket Club supports both the ICC’s 100% Cricket campaign to encourage 1 million girls to take up cricket in the year ending 2021 and the ECB’s £20M action plan to make cricket a gender-balanced sport as part of its Inspiring Generations strategy for 2020-2024.

First on the agenda for the Girls Cricket Club is a free cricket skills session to be held over Zoom at 10.30am on Tuesday 1st June. The session is open to girls of all ages and abilities and will be hosted by Lydia Greenway, with a special guest appearance from England Captain Heather Knight. A full schedule of face-to-face camps will be announced on the Girls Cricket Club website shortly.

To keep up to date and to sign up for the free Zoom skills session head to girlscricketclub.com

After making her England debut in the first Women’s Ashes Test of the 2003 tour to Australia, Greenway went on to represent her country a further 224 times, comprising 14 Test caps, 126 One-Day International (ODI) appearances and 85 Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.

As an innovative middle-order batsman known for her vast array of sweep and reverse-sweep shots, she struck over 4,000 international runs, and was widely regarded as one of the best fielders in the world, taking a total of 121 international catches.

During her 13 year England career, Greenway won the Women’s Ashes four times, including playing an integral role in the team’s success on home soil in the first multi-format Women’s Ashes in 2013, when she hit a match-winning 80 off only 64 balls to seal a series deciding win in the second T20I at the Ageas Bowl.

She was also an important part of England’s victorious 2009 ICC Women’s World Cup and ICC Women’s World T20 squads.

Lydia Greenway said: “During recent discussions with Mark Robinson about his focus on developing new players against Pakistan this summer, it became clear that my involvement with the England team might be limited moving forwards.  Whilst in the past I have been in a similar position and have fought for my place, I now feel that at this stage in my life, it’s time to take a step back and retire from international cricket with immediate effect, allowing the next generation of players to develop on the world stage.

“I feel extremely privileged to have represented England for 13 years, and I am very proud of what I have personally achieved during this time.  However, the success of the team and the people I have played with is what will make the memories so special.  The double World Cup victories in 2009 was an amazing period for the team, and I will be right behind the girls as they pursue another World Cup win on home soil next year.

“I’d like to thank the ECB for getting the women’s game to where it is now, all the coaches I have worked with, my team mates, and most importantly my family and friends for their unconditional support throughout my international career.”    

ECB Director of England Women’s Cricket, Clare Connor, added: “Lydia has made an immense contribution to the England women’s cricket team over the past 13 years.  A member of the 2009 team that lifted two World Cups in the space of six months and a member of the 2005, 2008, 2013 and 2014 Ashes-winning teams, she should be incredibly proud of her numerous contributions to England success.

“With the bat, Lydia has been a match-winner on countless occasions, none more memorable than when she struck the Ashes-winning runs at the Ageas Bowl in 2013.  Her 80 not out from 64 balls, in front of a 10,000 strong crowd, was a remarkable innings under pressure.

“For several years, Lydia has been the best fielder in the women’s game.  Indeed she took fielding in the women’s game to a new level of athleticism: her sliding, catching and diving stunning audiences, both live and on television.  Lydia has played every one of her for 225 games for England with a smile on her face.  She has been a model professional, a fantastic role model through her work with Chance to Shine, and a wonderful team member.  I wish her every success as she moves in to the next phase of her life.”

Greenway will continue to play domestic cricket, representing the Southern Vipers in the inaugural Kia Super League this summer, alongside playing for Kent in the Royal London Women’s One-Day Championship.

Player Profile

Full Name: Lydia Sophie Greenway

Born: 6^th August 1985

County: Kent

Role: Left-hand middle order batsman 

International Batting and Fielding Averages:

Report courtesy of the ECB