Project Darwin

[SirChef26]

Understand most won't be interested in this from a cricketing perspective but I'd advise you to read it if you can as it does concern Essex's future (paywalled).

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/12/04/project-darwin-revolutionise-womens-cricket/

Remember when I said on here that the ultimate end game/goal for the ECB by the end of the decade is to have 8-10 counties, fully amalgamated with men and women's teams/academies and each with their own 100 franchise (no doubt part owned by an IPL team) competing in the marquee short form comp in whatever form it takes, whilst the rest of the counties turn part time until they are rendered obsolete and their funding gets cut completely?

Well this move detailed in the piece above is another big step towards that happening.

[Oldhasbeen]

For those who can't get behind the paywall, here are a few key points:
According to the Torygraph - nothing like as reliable a source as it used to be - Project Darwin proposes
?   Eight regional women's teams handed  to counties from 2025
?   A three-tier woman's cricket system - one pro (I assume the Test ground counties, although this isn't explicit), one semi-pro and one amateur. Presumably no promotion/relegation between them.

The NET cost (estimated at c?85 million over 5 year) looks horrendous. The aim - to increase the appeal and spread of woman's cricket - may be noble, but who is going to pick up the bill? And who is going to vote for it?

It doesn't say anything  about changes to men's cricket, but.....

One to follow. with trepidation.

[SirChef26]

This has been made public today..https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/women-s-competitions-overhauled-by-ecb-as-counties-invited-to-tender-for-teams-1419113

I suggest there's more chance of pig's flying than Essex getting a team no matter how well they pitch. We can barely afford to run a men's set-up now following the cost living crisis/racism report etc etc. Let alone a women's team. That's before we get onto facilities/ground. Only thing we have going for us is catchment area and the people working within the club who clearly do a good job in the community for women/girls cricket.

Lancashire
Yorkshire
Hampshire
Warwickshire
Nottinghamshire
Surrey
Somerset, Glamorgan or Gloucestershire
MCC (in partnership with Middlesex) or Durham

Those will be your eight teams.

[Suffolk Richard]

If Essex moved out of the county ground and built a new stadium holding at least 10 thousand. We might come into the equation?

[bwildered]

 Hanging by our fingertips in getting the all important ODI from England, which probably continues due to the excellent attendances,  but could the franchise get a good turn out for stand alone regular women?s games.
 Yes, you can see the ECB using this has a future prototype for the men?s format.

[nat]

The ECB can only do what it is allowed to do. Members of all the (member owned) counties need to wake up and exert their power.

[SirChef26]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/mar/13/dragons-den-style-format-to-decide-which-counties-get-womens-teams-cricket#:~:text=Counties%20have%20already%20had%20to,for%20the%20women%27s%20team%5D%20within%20?

"The evaluation panel will no doubt expect equal access for women's teams to grounds such as the Oval and Lord's, but the Guardian understands that some counties intend for the women to play their matches on club and school pitches, claiming that existing county grounds are already at capacity. This could be a key sticking point in the interviews."

Absolutely stinks of Essex that does. "We want a tier one team, but Chelmsford is full to capacity! Don't worry though they can play all their games at Billericay and Baron Park." 

[nat]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/mar/13/dragons-den-style-format-to-decide-which-counties-get-womens-teams-cricket#:~:text=Counties%20have%20already%20had%20to,for%20the%20women%27s%20team%5D%20within%20?

"The evaluation panel will no doubt expect equal access for women's teams to grounds such as the Oval and Lord's, but the Guardian understands that some counties intend for the women to play their matches on club and school pitches, claiming that existing county grounds are already at capacity. This could be a key sticking point in the interviews."

Absolutely stinks of Essex that does. "We want a tier one team, but Chelmsford is full to capacity! Don't worry though they can play all their games at Billericay and Baron Park."

Good. More than enough chairs at Billericay/Barons Park for the expected size of crowd.

[SirChef26]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/mar/13/dragons-den-style-format-to-decide-which-counties-get-womens-teams-cricket#:~:text=Counties%20have%20already%20had%20to,for%20the%20women%27s%20team%5D%20within%20?

"The evaluation panel will no doubt expect equal access for women's teams to grounds such as the Oval and Lord's, but the Guardian understands that some counties intend for the women to play their matches on club and school pitches, claiming that existing county grounds are already at capacity. This could be a key sticking point in the interviews."

Absolutely stinks of Essex that does. "We want a tier one team, but Chelmsford is full to capacity! Don't worry though they can play all their games at Billericay and Baron Park."

Good. More than enough chairs at Billericay/Barons Park for the expected size of crowd.

Not about crowd size, it's about giving them general access to the main ground. If you haven't got capacity to host, don't waste your time bidding as Worcestershire have done.