Scotland played at their first Women's T20 World Cup in the UAE in 2024 Scotland women's cricket team were riding a high in December 2024. Just one month after their first appearance at a World Cup, they had been named as their nation's team of the year. Less than six months on, they have no fixtures scheduled. Not one in the diary. In fact, they have not played at home since 2023. "From a funding perspective, cricket costs so much to run. Our resources are extremely sparse - we're almost running on fumes to try and have our women's programme exist," says director of performance Steve Snell. "To host a series we're looking at, give or take, between £75,000 and £100,000 and with very little kickback in terms of getting any money back in from that. If we do that three or four times a year against different teams, it gets expensive very quickly." The women's game for associate countries, unlike Full Member nations like England, does not have a mandated Future Tours Programme that dictates when fixtures need to happen. With teams having to organise things themselves, even if there is willing from touring countries, such as Pakistan, the prohibitive costs often make it impossible. And for players such as wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce, the situation is a painful one: "Teams are wanting to play us now, which is really exciting, but we're not able to. "It's just really frustrating because it's difficult to know how we keep pushing forward as a team when we don't have those opportunities to develop." "We feel pretty helpless. There's not really much we can do about the situation if we don't get the financial support that I think we deserve at this point," agrees bowler Abtaha Maqsood. Cricket Scotland receives approximately £1.3m per year as part of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) revenue share to fund all their programmes, men's and women's. The board has reportedly never made a profit. Compare this with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which receives in excess of £30m from the ICC and has lucrative series for which to sell broadcast rights on an annual basis. The ECB's latest accounts show a pre-tax profit of £27.9m. More assistance could be offered from England with regular fixtures, says Snell. "I don't think it's a huge ask for us to have more interaction from a men's and women's perspective in terms of England and England A for men's and women's teams." The ECB says it does offer plenty of support, with a spokesperson saying: "We are happy to support the development of women's cricket in Scotland and already organise fixtures at a pathway level, including inviting Scotland Women's under-19s to play in the School Games last year, while England Women's under-19s will play a number of fixtures against Scotland A this summer." But is it enough to only offer support at only junior levels? "These Full Member nations need to help out the associate members a little bit more and try their best to host us whenever they can because it's clearly not really coming from the ICC," says Maqsood. The ECB says that it is far from being that simple, though: "The priority for England Women has to be scheduling series against ICC Full Members which fulfil our obligations within the ICC's Future Tours Programme and set the team up for success in global tournaments and marquee series like the Women's Ashes." For Bryce, the need to grow the game should not be seen as purely altruistic, but rather an opportunity to help cricket become a successful sport more widely: "We don't want it to just be India, Australia and England as the only top three teams competing. I think it's much more exciting when those World Cups are competitive." It has long been an issue for the game that qualifying tournaments for major events are organised late, meaning many of Scotland's players who are on one-day-per-week contracts have to rearrange life at the last minute to attend. "We are getting very, very last-minute information about tournaments. And when we've got limited funding, it makes planning very difficult. Even four weeks before the tournament in Pakistan with the Women's World Cup Qualifier, we had scant information about what was happening," says Snell. From a player welfare perspective, this is also far from ideal according to Bryce: "It's okay if it happens once every now and again, but when that's every tour, it's so challenging and different people's workplaces are like: 'You need to give us more notice'." Cricket in the United Kingdom is not short of money â just look at the close to £1bn valuation for the eight franchise teams in The Hundred. According to Snell, it would not take much to make a huge difference. "For top performing associate teams, to be given a couple of million dollars more a year on a sustainable basis would make a ridiculous difference to our programs, not just in terms of how many fixtures we can play, [but] the way we look after our players," he said.
From team of the year to no games - Scotland women's 'helpless' situation
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Scotland Women's Cricket Team Faces Fixture Drought and Financial Challenges"
Bbc News
7.5
TruthLens AI Summary
The Scotland women's cricket team, which recently celebrated its first participation in the Women's T20 World Cup in the UAE and was named the country's team of the year in December 2024, now faces an alarming situation with no scheduled fixtures on the calendar. This stark contrast highlights the struggles faced by the team, which has not played at home since 2023. Director of performance Steve Snell expressed concerns over the financial constraints impacting the women's program, revealing that hosting a series can cost between £75,000 and £100,000, with little prospect of recovering those costs. Unlike Full Member nations, associate countries like Scotland lack a mandated Future Tours Programme, making it difficult to secure matches against other teams despite interest from countries like Pakistan. Players such as wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce have voiced their frustration, noting the missed opportunities for development and growth due to the lack of fixtures. Bowler Abtaha Maqsood echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for financial support to ensure the team's sustainability and progress in the sport.
Cricket Scotland receives approximately £1.3 million annually from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to fund all cricket programs, both men's and women's, yet the board has never turned a profit. In contrast, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) receives over £30 million from the ICC, allowing for lucrative series and broadcast rights. While the ECB claims to support the development of women's cricket in Scotland through junior fixtures, players and officials argue that more needs to be done, particularly at senior levels. The ECB maintains that its primary focus is on scheduling series against ICC Full Members, which complicates the situation for associate nations like Scotland. The lack of timely information regarding qualifying tournaments adds to the challenges faced by players, who often have to make last-minute arrangements due to limited funding and planning issues. Snell suggested that a modest increase in annual financial support for top-performing associate teams could significantly enhance their programs and player welfare, creating a more competitive and vibrant international cricket landscape.
TruthLens AI Analysis
The article highlights the troubling situation of the Scotland women's cricket team, which has experienced a dramatic shift from being celebrated as the nation's team of the year to being left without any scheduled fixtures. This stark contrast raises questions about the sustainability and support for women's sports, particularly in associate cricket nations.
Funding Challenges
A significant focus of the article is on the financial difficulties faced by the Scotland women's cricket team. Director of performance Steve Snell emphasizes the high costs associated with hosting matches, which are estimated to range between £75,000 and £100,000. The lack of a mandated Future Tours Programme for associate nations exacerbates this issue, as teams must independently arrange fixtures, often leading to prohibitive costs that hinder development opportunities.
Player Frustration
The sentiments expressed by players like Sarah Bryce and Abtaha Maqsood highlight the emotional toll of this situation. Their frustrations stem from the desire to compete and improve, yet being unable to do so due to financial constraints. The players feel helpless, pointing to the need for increased financial support to ensure the viability of their program.
Comparative Context
When comparing the funding of Cricket Scotland, which receives about £1.3 million annually from the ICC, to that of the England and Wales Cricket Board, which enjoys significantly higher funding, the disparities become evident. This contrast underlines the challenges faced by associate nations in fostering competitive women's cricket.
Societal Impact
The article aims to generate awareness about the lack of support for women's cricket in Scotland and the broader implications for gender equality in sports. By shedding light on these challenges, it seeks to foster discussion among stakeholders, including sports authorities, sponsors, and the general public, about the need for equitable support for women's programs.
Manipulative Elements
While the article presents factual information regarding the struggles of the Scotland women's team, it also invokes an emotional response by emphasizing player frustration and the sense of helplessness. This can be seen as a way to elicit sympathy and support for increased funding and resources, which could be interpreted as a form of manipulation to rally public support.
In conclusion, the article presents a compelling narrative that underscores the financial and structural barriers facing the Scotland women's cricket team. It effectively communicates the urgency of the situation while also calling for greater support and recognition from the wider cricket community.