‘Accelerate Action’ - the theme of International Women’s Day 2025 - urges us to celebrate and support those propelling gender equality forward.
The Metro Bank Champion of Girls’ Cricket award, which was part of the ECB’s 2024 Cricket Collective Awards, does just that: recognising the hard work of three female volunteers making a huge impact in their local cricket communities. These remarkable women have, through their dedication and service, accelerated action and driven the female game to new levels of success.
On International Women’s Day, we’re shining a light on each of these outstanding leaders. Here are their stories.
Winner: Anna Davies, Chichester Priory Park Cricket Club (CPPCC)
When Anna Davies joined CPPCC in 2020, the club was only just beginning its journey in girls’ cricket. Today, thanks to Anna’s tireless efforts and determination to build a girls’ pathway in her local community, more than 70 girls are involved in its coaching programme.
In 2025, the club will run three girls’ teams (U9s, U11s, and U13s). It aims to have a girls’ team at every age group soon, with Anna’s non-stop activity in securing training grounds, organising fixtures, managing social media accounts, and engaging parents crucial to what has happened so far.
Anna has even launched an annual primary school girls’ cricket festival, and her philosophy is refreshingly simple. “We want them to feel special every time they come training,” she says.
Highly Commended: Emma Williams, Ammanford Cricket Club
Emma is a mentor, volunteer, coach, leader – and the driving force behind the growth of women’s and girls’ cricket at Ammanford CC.
Since becoming involved with the club, Emma has grown the number of active girls and women to more than 50. The women’s team won the first indoor league in which it competed and only just missed out on repeating the feat in its first outdoor league.
Emma’s focus is on off-field skills, too. She promotes teamwork, resilience, sportsmanship, and passion in every female cricketer at Ammanford CC. Her aims align fully with the ECB and Metro Bank, empowering women to use cricket to reach their full potential.
Highly Commended: Sarah John, Sefton Park Cricket Club
Since joining Sefton Park CC in 2019, Sarah has been a constant source of energy and inspiration.
In the early days, she supported the club’s mixed junior coaching sessions. But by 2021, she’d set up its first ever girls’ U10s team, which went on to enter indoor tournaments and softball festivals. She is also the captain of the women’s first team.
In 2023, Sarah partnered with Lancashire Cricket Foundation and Toxteth Firefit to provide free winter training to children in Toxteth. The scheme was so successful it directly led to several young players joining Sefton Park CC.
Today, up to 30 girls attend all-girls training sessions each Wednesday and the club has established a girls’ U13s hardball team. Sarah constantly encourages parents and volunteers to get involved in coaching and scoring, using cricket to drive inclusivity and community development.