Following a period of regional domestic cricket (2020–2024), the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) unveiled plans for a revamp of the women’s domestic cricket program, introducing ‘Project Darwin‘ ahead of the 2024 season. The ECB has now revealed the draw for the inaugural T20 Women’s County Cup, set to feature 37 teams across its new three-tier system.
The eight professional Tier 1 teams—Durham, Essex, Hampshire (The Blaze), Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Surrey, and Warwickshire (Bears)—will enter the competition in Round 3.
The T20 Women’s County Cup’s knock-out format allows lower-ranked Tier 2 and Tier 3 teams a chance to upset the fully professional Tier 1 sides. With Round 3 featuring two all-Tier 1 clashes, at least two Tier 2 or Tier 3 teams are guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals, creating an opportunity for underdogs to chase a place in Finals Day.
Round One (Ties to be played Monday 5 May)
Match 1: Lincolnshire v Cheshire
Match 2: Staffordshire v Cumbria
Match 3: Northumberland – BYE
Match 4: Yorkshire v Derbyshire Falcons
Match 5: Leicestershire Foxes – BYE
Match 6: Shropshire v Norfolk
Match 7: Cambridgeshire v Herefordshire
Match 8: Northamptonshire Steelbacks v Worcestershire Rapids
Match 9: Sussex Sharks v Buckinghamshire
Match 10: Suffolk – BYE
Match 11: Hertfordshire v Bedfordshire & Huntingdonshire
Match 12: Middlesex v Kent
Match 13: Cornwall v Berkshire
Match 14: Wiltshire v Oxfordshire
Match 15: Dorset v Devon
Match 16: Glamorgan v Gloucestershire
Round Two (Ties to play Saturday 10 May)
Match 17: Yorkshire or Derbyshire Falcons v Staffordshire or Cumbria
Match 18: Leicestershire Foxes v Lincolnshire or Cheshire
Match 19: Shropshire or Norfolk v Northamptonshire Steelbacks or Worcestershire Rapids
Match 20: Northumberland v Cambridgeshire or Herefordshire
Match 21: Glamorgan or Gloucestershire v Sussex Sharks or Buckinghamshire
Match 22: Cornwall or Berkshire v Middlesex or Kent
Match 23: Wiltshire or Oxfordshire v Hertfordshire or Bedfordshire & Huntingdonshire
Match 24: Devon or Dorset v Suffolk
Round Three (Ties to be played Saturday 17 May)
Match 25: Surrey v Hampshire Hawks
Match 26: Winner of Match 24 v Bears
Match 27: Winner of Match 19 v Winner of Match 18
Match 28: Winner of Match 21 v Lancashire Thunder
Match 29: Winner of Match 17 v Essex
Match 30: Winner of Match 23 v The Blaze
Match 31: Winner of Match 20 v Winner of Match 22
Match 32: Somerset v Durham
Quarter-finals (Ties to be played Saturday 24 May)
Match 33: Winner of Match 25 v Winner of Match 32
Match 34: Winner of Match 31 v Winner of Match 30
Match 35: Winner of Match 27 v Winner of Match 28
Match 36: Winner of Match 29 v Winner of Match 26
Finals Day (Monday 26 May, The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton)
Match 37: Semi-Final 1: Winner of Match 35 v Winner of Match 34
Match 38: Semi-Final 2: Winner of Match 36 v Winner of Match 33
Match 39: T20 Women’s County Cup Final
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