Latest news with #TierOne
BBC News
23-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Somerset want to 'pave the way' as new era begins
Somerset's inaugural women's team want to "pave the way" for the next generation ahead of the opening game of their first season, says bowler Laura club are one of eight counties awarded Tier 1 status following a major revamp of the women's domestic game for this open their campaign on Wednesday away to Surrey in the One-Day Cup, before their first home match begins on Sunday at their new home the County Ground in Taunton, against Lancashire."It's really good when you come to a ground like this [Taunton] seeing how rich a history it's got, but there are no women around so we want to try and pave the way and try and get our pictures up there to inspire the next generation," Jackson told BBC Radio Somerset."When I first started being a pro four years ago I wouldn't have told you that we have full professional sides and counties actually had their own teams."I'm excited for it and I think England is going to be full of potential." Jackson, 27, is one of 20 players signed to Somerset for this season, including England all-rounders Danielle Gibson and Charlie Dean, former England captain Heather Knight and Taunton local Sophie Luff, who will captain the all-rounder Amanda-Jade Wellington has also signed as Somerset's overseas player, having played for Western Storm during 2024 in the region."When Somerset got awarded the Tier One status, [I] really wanted to be that professional overseas player, the first ever, which is a massive honour. I just can't to get under way," Wellington said."I know as an overseas player there's big reputation about yourself and what you can bring to a squad and a team - and the culture as well - so I'm hoping I can make a mark for Somerset." Former Western Storm head coach Trevor Griffin was appointed head coach of Somerset last autumn. With the women's teams also competing in the T20 Blast in 2025, Griffin said he wants his side to be competing at the end of the season."We want to be there competing as we get into those final games of the season, the real pointy end," Griffin said."[We want to be] up there and challenging for the opportunities to get into Finals Day. It's going to be a fascinating year for a number of reasons."
BBC News
18-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Glamorgan women to make history in first game
A small piece of Glamorgan cricket history will be made on Saturday when their women's team play their first game against Sussex Sharks in new side will play a 50 overs contest in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Sophia Gardens (10:30 BST).The semi-professional side will also play T20 cricket later in the Glamorgan team is due to graduate to the full professional level in 2027, and already runs a Tier One academy as part of the Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Surrey and Warwickshire have all been awarded Tier 1 status in 2025 with Glamorgan and Yorkshire joining them two years later. Nine senior Wales players from the old county system will provide the basis of the new Glamorgan squad, together with 15 academy hopefuls drawn from Wales, Gloucestershire and players' jobs include teacher, solicitor, physio and radiographer, as well as a number of students. Former Wales skipper Lauren Parfitt will captain the side. The Pontypool-born Parfitt, 31, is one of the most experienced players moving over from the Wales county has been playing county cricket since 2007 and also represented the regional Western Storm side between 2020 and was chosen to lead the side by coach Rachel Priest, a former team-mate and New Zealand player."The aim is to go as high as possible," said Parfitt."We have got an exciting squad to kickstart this new era, and want to hit the ground running in both sets of competitions. "There is obviously a little bit of the unknown in it as well, teams we haven't played against and also our own players coming in from different counties and set-ups."
BBC News
04-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Glamorgan's annual loss and debt reduced in 2024
Glamorgan Cricket have reported an annual operating loss of £286,192 for 2024 - a slight improvement on the previous club say the finances are in line with expectations for what was expected to be a challenging club announced a profit before interest, tax and depreciation of £272,000It is hoped that figure will rise to around a million pounds for 2025, thanks to new deals in place with the England and Wales Cricket club is also set to benefit from major income streams as a result of the sale of half of the Welsh Fire franchise, based at Sophia Govil, an Indian-American businessman who controls the Washington Freedom franchise in the USA, paid around £40 million for a 50 per cent stake in Welsh ECB sold 49 percent stakes in all eight franchises, with the income set to be distributed across the professional and amateur games, while Glamorgan sold an extra one per cent Dan Cherry said: "2024, whilst challenging in many respects, has been a year when we've been able to start establishing much firmer foundations for the future." Glamorgan were hit by the unexpected need to replace a damaged floodlight at a cost of £94,000 while the England-Pakistan T20 international was washed out, but revenues were more than their budget projections and the county won the One-Day Cup for the second time in four annual report to members contains only passing reference to the shock December departure of coach Grant Bradburn after just one season in charge, amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour which he denied in a statement to BBC Sport Mark Rhydderch-Roberts described the situation as "unfortunate" but wishes Bradburn well for the commented: "Despite success on the field, it is vitally important that the club protects its environment and puts cultures and values first."The cricket regulator has yet to publish a report on its report highlights a 10-year target to be among the top eight professional sides in England and will run a semi-professional women's side for the first time in 2025, with the aim of turning fully professional in Tier One of the female game in membership went up by seven per cent in 2024 to reverse a previous debt was reduced by almost £700,000 to £1.84 million pounds with a further reduction planned.A debt of £1.32 million to Cardiff council is scheduled for repayment in January 2026.
Reuters
22-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
We found a way to win arm-wrestle, says England coach Borthwick
LONDON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - England coach Steve Borthwick has spent much of the last year taking positives from close defeats so he was not in the mood to apologise for his side's stuttering display in their 16-15 Six Nations victory over Scotland on Saturday. If Finn Russell had not missed his third conversion attempt in the final minute then England's recovery would have stalled badly after they ended a run of seven defeats against Tier One nations with another last-minute win over France two weeks ago. They were also hugely fortunate to reach halftime only 10-7 down and though they could not add to Tommy Freeman's early try, penalties by Marcus and Fin Smith nudged them into a six-point lead, which proved just enough after Russell's late miss meant an end to the Scots' four-game winning run in the oldest international fixture in the sport. "I'm delighted in the last two games the endings have gone our way," Borthwick said. "In many ways it wasn't pretty and there are things we want to do better but, ultimately, we kept our composure and found a way to win the game." England's defence was run ragged in the first half as Duhan van der Merwe again proved an irresistible force on the wing. England improved in the second half, put up some hugely impressive defensive efforts and edged their way ahead with their own thrusts. "We were very good in attack against France but today Scotland brought a very smart tactical plan and had ascendancy in the first half," Borthwick said. "In the second half the players figured it out and found a way to get ahead on the scoreboard. "It was very difficult to play against and a very different type of game, which is great for this young side. The guys found a way to win a tactical arm-wrestle. "We don't necessarily want to play the way we did today, we want to move the ball, but we found a way to win." Borthwick also praised the defensive effort -- once his team had worked out how to close down the space out wide -- and their discipline after they came out on the right side of the penalty count for the fifth time in seven matches. "Discipline is essential in a game like that when the ball is in the middle of the field and you need to minimise those opportunities for teams to get out wide," he said. Captain and man of the match Maro Itoje said: "Scotland played a lot in our half and we didn't exit the way we wanted but we did fight and scrap. "They threw a whole load of different questions and scenarios at us and I'm very proud that the boys found a way to win. "We want to be a team full of character and fight. How much you can pull together to change momentum in your favour is crucial. "It was a good experience for the team to go through. We've been on the end of some results that were negative experiences so this is nice -- but it would be nicer if we didn't have to keep it so close."
