Study shows growth in popularity of women's cricket

A study by the England and Wales Cricket Board has found that more than 60,000 women are now playing cricket.

Women and girls over 14 accounted for 7% of the overall total of grassroots participants in the last 12 months.

Earlier this year, England beat Australia to win the Women's Ashes.

"Meeting the rising demand from women and girls for more opportunities to play the game in teams at every level is top priority for the ECB," said its chief executive David Collier.

"Over the last decade, we have made a very significant investment into women's cricket and we are now reaping the rewards with the England Women's team's on-field successes inspiring even greater participation at recreational level.

"With more than 600 recreational clubs nationwide now offering cricket for women and girls and the Chance to Shine programme reaching more schoolgirls than ever before, the foundations of the women's game are strong.

"Our task now is to ensure we are providing the best possible facilities, coaching and club environments at grassroots level so that even more women and girls can take up the game and experience the enjoyment that comes from playing the sport regularly in teams."