England Women Join The PCA
by Patricia Montgomery, LincsMag Writer.
Date: 01 May 2011
Clare Connor, head of England women's cricket for the ECB, has expressed her delight at the national team joining the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA).
The PCA has agreed an historic deal that will see the England women’s team join their ranks.
Over the past decade the team has moved to the forefront of the international women’s game thanks to their talent, dedication and professional attitude, aided initially by lottery funding to allow the players to edge closer to being ‘full-time’ athletes, and latterly ECB training grants and England women coaching ambassador contracts through The Cricket Foundation.
Greater off-pitch support for the players played a role in the team winning the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2009 and lifting the inaugural ICC Women’s World Twenty20 trophy later that year.
Clare Connor, head of England women’s cricket for the ECB, said: “Joining the PCA takes the England women’s game further towards a professional era.
“ECB do everything they can to support players to be the best they can on the pitch, and PCA membership will only help that process. Huge credit must go to PCA CEO Angus Porter, who has been tremendously supportive.”
Porter said: “The PCA looks after the interests of all professional cricketers. The England women are highly professional and very successful and it’s absolutely right that we should embrace them into our organisation.”
Fixture Change For England Women - 2011
India will provide the first opposition for England in this summer's quadrangular ODI series, which will also feature Australia and New Zealand
The ECB has announced that changes have been made to the schedule of England women’s quadrangular ODI series with Australia, New Zealand and India.
England will now take on India, rather than New Zealand, in a day-night match at Derby on Thursday June 30, with Australia playing the White Ferns on the same day at Chesterfield.
The original opening fixtures, between England and New Zealand at Derby and Australia and India at Chesterfield, will then take place on Saturday July 2.
The full schedule for the one-day series - and the Twenty20 matches that precede it - is listed below.
NatWest Women's Quadrangular T20
Thursday June 23
England v New Zealand, Chelmsford, 3.10pm
Australia v India, Billericay, 10.45am
Saturday June 25
England v Australia, Bristol, 10.15am
New Zealand v India, Clifton College, 10.45am
Sunday June 26
England v India, Taunton, 11.10am
New Zealand v Australia, Taunton Vale, 11am
Monday June 27
Final, Rose Bowl, 3.10pm
Third/fourth play-off, Aldershot, 10.45
NatWest Women's Quadrangular Series
Thursday June 30
England v India, Derby, 2.30pm
Australia v New Zealand, Chesterfield, 10.45am
Saturday July 2
England v New Zealand, Derby, 10.45am
India v Australia, Chesterfield, 10.45am
Tuesday July 5
New Zealand v India, Southgate, 10.45am
England v Australia, Lord's, 10.45am
Thursday July 7
Final, Wormsley/Aston Rowant, 10.45am
Third/fourth play-off, Wormsley/Aston Rowant 10.45am
(Wormsley will host whichever game England are involved in)
