TEAMS from Whitehaven to Eden took to the crease at the weekend when Cumbria's first cricket league for girls was officially launched at Burneside Cricket Club in Kendal. 

With the support of Fibrus Broadband as the title sponsor, Cumbrian girls will now have the chance to play in a competitive league.

Cumbria Cricket has helped with the formation of new teams including the Eden Eagles, Central Sixers, the Southern Power Team, Sedbergh School and Western Boom, the first four of which played their first 100-ball matches on Sunday.

Central Sixers and Sedbergh School were the winners on the day against Southern Power and Eden Eagles, but it seems clear that everyone involved is excited about the long-term prospects of the league.

Bob Simpson, director of cricket development at Cricket at Cumbria Cricket, said: "The partnership we have with Fibrus enables the dream to become a reality.

"This league is groundbreaking for Cumbria and is a marker of the increasing interest in girls and women’s cricket on a national level.

"It is a platform with the potential to transform women’s and girls’ cricket in the area, and we are proud to be working with clubs across our county to deliver this."

The Fibrus 100 League includes teams at U13 and U16 levels covering the whole of Cumbria and comes on the back of rapid growth and investment in women’s cricket fueled by the success of the national team, a professional English league, and increasing coverage by major broadcasters.

Catriona Henry, Sponsorship Lead at Fibrus, said: "We’re delighted to be partnering with Cumbria Cricket for the inaugural Fibrus 100 League.

"The creation of this new league is a huge step forward for girls' cricket, and a big step for Fibrus in our commitment to support communities in Cumbria."

Fibrus will also be sponsoring a women’s softball cricket league with fixtures throughout the summer.