Women's cricket: Domestic 50-over competition named Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy
- Published
Heyhoe Flint played 22 Tests and 23 one-day internationals during a 19-year England career
This season's women's 50-over domestic competition will be named the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy in honour of England's World Cup-winning captain.
Baroness Heyhoe Flint led England to the World Cup in 1973 and is regarded as a trailblazer for women's cricket.
The month-long competition will begin on August Bank Holiday weekend with the final on Saturday 26 September.
The fixtures for the eight-team competition will be released on Wednesday.
The competition has been created for this summer only, to ensure women's domestic cricket is played despite the challenges of Covid-19.
ECB managing director of women's cricket, Clare Connor, said: "I'm delighted that, despite the obvious challenges of Covid-19, we have been able to continue to build the new women's elite domestic structure to the point that we'll see the eight regions playing 50-over cricket this summer.
"Rachael Heyhoe Flint would have been proud to witness the professionalisation of the domestic women's game. She did so much for our sport and without her work, passion and dedication, we wouldn't be where we are today."
The eight regional teams will be split into two groups with the winners of each group meeting in the final.
The availability of England Women's centrally contracted players will be known once the international schedule has been confirmed.
Heyhoe Flint, who captained England between 1966 and 1978 and was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2010, passed away in 2017.
Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy groups
North: Central Sparks, Lightning, Northern Diamonds, Thunder
South: South East Stars, Southern Vipers, Sunrisers, Western Storm