The women’s section of the ECB website provides all the latest news and information on the women’s game – both on the international and domestic scene.

The women's game in England continues to go from strength to strength and is growing at a rapid pace. This has been seen most clearly since the Ashes win of 2005 and, in the last year alone, women’s and girl’s cricket recorded the sharpest rise of any form of the game in England and Wales of 45 per cent.

One of the main factors contributing to the growth is the tremendous work of the ECB Women's Regional Cricket Managers who are charged with developing new clubs, forming sustainable girls’ leagues and introducing girls to the sport at a local level.

Participation in girls' and women's cricket is surging upwards - full details of ECB's latest survey here

To support this growth, members of the England Women’s team have been contracted from April 2008. Rather than central contracts, the players receive coaching contracts whereby they will work as Chance to shine coaches in schools and clubs in their areas.

In these roles, they work with the Women’s Regional Cricket Managers to focus on coaching girls to expand upon the 45 per cent increase in numbers playing the game.

This is a ground-breaking move by ECB in support of County Board initiatives and signals an era of greater support for the England Women’s team than ever before - all under the management of the new head of women's cricket at ECB, Clare Connor, the former England captain.

With World Cup 2009 just around the corner, and a women's International World Twenty20 on home shores soon after, these contracts should give the England team greater flexibility to prepare as best they can.

Make sure you stay in touch with everything going on by following all the latest news from the England women's camp and the domestic competitions here on ecb.co.uk.

We also have regular blogs and photos stories - as well as live scores from every England match at home or abroad.