It was a good night for English women’s cricket last night, with the England team and the ECB both triumphant at the Women’s Sport Trust’s #BeAGameChanger Awards.
England Women took home the Sporting Role Model Team Award, while the ECB won National Governing Body of the Year.
While the England squad were unable to be present, sending a video acceptance, Clare Connor took to the stage to thank all those who had voted.
Speaking about England’s World Cup triumph, she said: “The team did us proud, and it’s up to us now to capitalise on it. We have to make sure it is a game-changing moment.”
“If we can look back in 10 years time and see as many girls playing the game as boys, that will show the game is in really good health.”
The Awards ceremony also saw the launch of the #ShowUp campaign, led by Sky Sports and the Women’s Sport Trust, which encourages people to support women’s sport by turning up to watch.
Former England netballer Tamsin Greenway explained that the campaign had been inspired by the sell-out World Cup final at Lord’s last summer: “I’ve never heard anything like the crowd that day,” she said. “I’ve had bragging rights ever since – ‘I was there!'”
As part of the campaign, Sky are giving away 5,000 tickets to women’s sports events this year to encourage attendance.
CRICKETher 
Great to hear all the acknowledgements of really great performances at the Women’s Sports Trust Awards. Thinking purely of the womens County games a few suggestions. Please be aware some counties do some of these already!
1. Charge NO entrance fee at all to anyone. If children come free parents usually don’t, so they will not bring the children. Catch 22?
2. Some counties really do look after spectators with easily accessible refreshments, and if you do pay at all, they are very reasonable. A really good idea is voluntary contributions.
3. Some counties charge too much for basic refreshments causing very few to buy anything!
4. Send local schools batches of tickets, if they get 20/30 they would be inclined to give them out as rewards to pupils.
I am sure there are other measures and ideas from the wider cricketing community which could welcome everybody to games, and maybe more generous county administrators would could fund these initiatives?
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