Women's Super League: Domestic T20 tournament to be expanded in 2018

Charlotte Edwards (with trophy) captained Southern Vipers to victory in the inaugural tournament in 2016

The England and Wales Cricket Board has confirmed the expansion of the Women's Super League in 2018.

Presently, six host teams play five group games before Finals Day in the KSL - the first professional domestic women's cricket tournament in England.

After a successful inaugural season in 2016, teams will play 10 group games in future, facing each team home and away.

"It's about growth and engaging a new audience with T20," said ECB director of women's cricket Clare Connor.

"It wasn't possible this year to expand because of the World Cup but from next year it will [expand].

"Everyone felt [with five games] the competition was just getting going, players were just finding their feet and coaches were just starting to understand their players and game plans."

The 2017 tournament starts on 10 August, with England's World Cup winners set to play at 13 different venues - including The Oval, Headingley and Old Trafford - before Finals Day at Hove on 1 September.

Each of the 54 non-contracted England and non-international players have also been given participation fees to cover training, travel and taking time off work, as opposed to just the match fees they received for games they played in last year.

"The feedback we got from players and the host teams last year was that you have to remunerate the players fairly for their commitment," Connor told BBC Sport.

"It's a big step and I see that area getting more budget as time goes by, which is great news."