Derbyshire and Leicestershire pull off cricket coup
Derbyshire and Leicestershire County Cricket Clubs have been successful in their bid to be a host city at the 2017 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that Derby will be one of five venues across England to host fixtures at next summer’s World Cup. It’s the first global sporting event to be held in the city since the Men’s Cricket World Cup in 1999, at the same venue.
During the bidding process, the Club erected a giant set of cricket stumps, manufactured by Briggs of Burton, on the Pentagon Roundabout, funded by over 60 local businesses as part of the #WereBackingTheBid campaign.
The stumps will act as a lasting legacy, while the Club hopes the global sporting event will also inspire young women across the county.
Chief executive, Simon Storey said: “It’s tremendous news for the city and the wider county that Derby has been selected to host matches at next summer’s Women’s Cricket World Cup.
“A huge amount of work went into our bid which focused on why Derby is ideally placed to take its spot on the global sporting stage.
“We’re very grateful for the support we have received from across the community; from the local cricket clubs and girls and women cricketers, to the businesses who backed our bid financially.
“The unique support that we received from across the county – which is symbolised by the giant stumps – has helped us demonstrate that the city of Derby is a great place to live, work, enjoy sport and will be a great destination for visitors from across the world.
“It’s also an opportunity for us to create a lasting legacy, not only for the growth of women’s cricket in Derbyshire, but also to use the power of sport to inspire young women to achieve their ambitions on and off the sporting field.
“We’re looking forward to a great summer of international cricket at The 3aaa County Ground in 2017.”
Derby City Council leader, Ranjit Banwait, added: “Derby has a fantastic opportunity with the Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2017 to once again become a leading city in the public eye and to a global audience.
“It will also attract visitors, grow local business and create jobs for local people. It’s an exciting prospect for the city.”
Leicestershire County Cricket Club chief executive Wasim Khan MBE said: “It is an honour and a privilege for Leicestershire County Cricket Club to be one of the hosts of the ICC Women’s World Cup when it comes to this country in 2017.
“We are currently undertaking a merger with the Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Board and are working together to encourage more girls both to participate and watch cricket, and the ICC Women’s World Cup will help to inspire a generation of cricket lovers.
“It is a hugely exciting time for Women’s cricket with the ICC Women’s World Cup following on from the launch of the ECB Women’s Cricket Super League this summer. It is great that matches will be played in the county at Loughborough University.”
