Central Sparks Team Operations Manager Beth Gaskell reflects on the fixture release for the upcoming season, hailing the efforts of all involved in the Women’s game, as 2024 sees even more games for the regional teams.
In the year of Sparks’ forming in 2020, the team played just six fixtures during a season, fast forward, and four seasons later Lloyd Tennant’s team will be playing at least 24 first team games across two formats next season.
On the fixture release and what it means to be involved in even more games, Gaskell said: “A lot of work goes in to refining the schedule, and it’s a thrill to share that with Central Sparks fans and start to look forward to next year.
“It is a testament to the rapid growth of the Women’s game over the past few years. We’re also going to play six T20 Blast double header matches, more than we have ever done before.
“Double headers are always a thrill for us as it’s great to play in front of packed crowds and give people more value for money from a day out at the cricket – at each double header game we play, we definitely come away with more fans who might not have normally watched a women’s game.”
For Sparks and the other women’s regions, it is great to have as many fixtures as they have in 2024 and with the different games that’ll come thick and fast next year, Gaskell and the team will have a packed calendar that they are excited about.
She added: “We have a great split of matches across our home venues Edgbaston and New Road, so people from all across the region will be able to come and watch us in action.”