This year will see the first ever Women's Cricket League in the Northern Cricket Union.

Women's Cricket is one of the rapidly growing areas of the sport and the creation of a Women's League in the Northern Cricket Union is a testament to this. Nigel Jones, Cricket Ireland’s Regional Development Officer in the Northern Cricket Union, will act as League Secretary and has been instrumental in the creation of the League through his role with Cricket Ireland, meeting the growing demand for competitive Women's Cricket in the area.

The four clubs participating in the league are:

• Civil Service North of Ireland
• Lurgan
• North Down
• Waringstown

The Women's League will take place over two days in May and June with each team playing each other once with a final between the top two teams and a 3rd/4th place play off.

Talking about the forthcoming league competition Nigel Jones said: “Through my increased role with Cricket Ireland it has allowed me to focus more time and energy into the women’s game. This is a major part of our Strategic Plan and I’m really excited about contributing to the activation and support of the 2013 competition here in the NCU.  The competition format has been designed to encourage rather than over-burden, with this concept coming about through feedback from participating clubs. The aim is to avoid a ‘one shoe fits all approach’ that would potentially restrict rather than encourage the women’s game at this stage of its development within the NCU.”

For any clubs interested in developing Girls and Women's Cricket through coaching and/or playing or would like to enter a team in the 2014 competition, please contact Nigel Jones by telephone: 078 7941 6121 or email: nigel.jones@cricketireland.ie.