2024 ANNUAL REPORT

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET CLUB 2024 ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 16 37 girls' sides) made up of roughly 1,000 primary school-aged children taking part in summer leagues. Hardball cricket also had a strong showing, with 45 teams taking part in an English Schools Cricket Asso- ciation-operated competition across three age groups, 22 sides partici- pating in an Under-19s edition of The Hundred and 31 teams (Under- 13s and Under-15s) competing in the ECB National Cup. Continuing the ground-up develop- ment of women’s and girls’ cricket in the county has been central to our strategy. OurWomen and Girls Officer, Jemima Dalton, has been at the forefront of opening up new ways for girls to enjoy the game. Offering a hybrid ball – ‘Incrediball’ – format has been successful in bridging the gap between softball and hardball cricket, a gap which has previously led many girls to step away from playing. The introduction of Girls Develop- ment Leagues and Girls Develop- ment Days has allowed hundreds of girls to get a taste of cricket for the first time, or further develop their existing skillset, in a safe and encouraging environment. Over 200 girls have taken part in Development Leagues and Development Days, twice as many as last year, across nearly 130 indoor and outdoor fixtures.The development pro- gramme has had a hand in nine girls’ sections – and 29 girls’ teams – being established in 2024. Women’s cricket is also continuing to expand at older age groups. Another 12 new women’s teams were established this year, taking the county total to 31 softball, 18 Super8s and eight hardball teams. But it is the self-sufficiency and long-term stability of these sections that is of paramount importance, and this is something which we will place particular emphasis on in the years to come. Building a strong backbone for the sport cannot be done without ensuring that the next generation of officials and scorers are waiting in the wings. Amy Coyne, a dedicated member of our workforce, has led a first-of-its-kind training and mentor- ship programme for aspiring umpires, providing women-only foundational training for a wide range of ages in a supportive environment. 38 women and girls have been trained on the Introduction to Umpiring and Scoring programme, with another 24 attending the subsequent ECB umpiring course. Recreational cricket inherently has its share of logistical and financial challenges, which is why investment and expertise are so crucial. Over the last 12 months, £75,000 has been invested in recreational club facilities through ECB County Grants, which has opened the door to a further £92,000 of investment. 14 club pitch power assessments on grounds have been completed by our County Pitch Advisors – a work- force which we have also increased this year – while seven clubs have applied for Sport England funding to support winter renovation and improvement projects. We also employed a grounds apprentice in partnership with Rushcliffe Borough Council, providing this individual with invaluable training in a practical environment while also allowing them to offer additional support to grounds across the recreational game. Upskilling and maintaining the existing coaching force across the county is of particular importance. “BUILDING A STRONG BACKBONE FOR THE SPORT CANNOT BE DONE WITHOUT ENSURING THAT THE NEXT GENERATION OF OFFICIALS AND SCORERS ARE WAITING IN THE WINGS. AMY COYNE, A DEDICATED MEMBER OF OUR WORKFORCE, HAS LED A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME FOR ASPIRING UMPIRES.” Mandy Wright