Histroy made as over 7,500 children across Bristol and Gloucestershire take part in UK's biggest ever schools cricket day ahead of Women's T20 World Cup coming to the Bristol County Ground

With just 50 days to go until the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, over 7,500* children from 44 schools across the region today picked up a bat and ball as part of Schools Cricket Day - the largest single-day cricket participation event in UK history.

The landmark moment marks a major milestone on the road to this summer’s must-see tournament, which gets underway on 12 June at Edgbaston before the Bristol County Ground hosts six fixtures starting from Saturday 21 June.

From first-time batters and bowlers in playgrounds, to competitive matches on sports fields, girls and boys across the area came together to play, learn and be inspired, as schools across England and Wales truly catch the spirit of the game.

Bristol and Gloucestershire have marked the occasion with over 7,500* children picking up a bat and ball across the region, including 16 schools taking part in a range of cricket-related sessions at the Bristol County Ground, including cricket drills, art sessions, player Q&As and more.

Big names from the world of cricket, including Heather Knight OBE, Lydia Greenway OBE, Alex Hartley and Georgia Adams, also joined school events in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup host cities, becoming powerful role models and inspiring girls to believe that cricket is a game for them. Activity across the country included:

• England legend Heather Knight OBE taking part alongside over 200 children at a mass participation Schools Cricket Day event at Raynes Park, London
• Former England star and 2009 World Cup winner, Lydia Greenway OBE joining over 400 children at host venue, Edgbaston
• 2017 World Cup winner and Lancashire Women’s star Alex Hartley joining a cricket session with local schoolchildren at Old Trafford
• Australian international and current player for Yorkshire women's, Jess Jonassen, helping with a cricket session at Morley Cricket Club

Schools Cricket Day is part of the ECB’s ambitions to harness the power of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales to build a legacy that inspires the next generation of girls to say cricket is a game for them. This year alone, through various initiatives and programmes, the ECB is aiming to see 500,000 women and girls playing cricket, 300 women taking up key leadership roles within the game’s administration, and 500 Champions of Change created as part of the Young Cricket Collective, which will empower young girls to volunteer and make change at their local cricket clubs.

The day also features bespoke resources and games created by the ICC’s global charity partner, UNICEF through its “Rights in Play” programme. The games, which were integrated into the day’s activities, focused on increasing understanding of child rights through play and participation in cricket. These sit alongside a range of cricket activity ideas on a dedicated schools’ resource hub.  

Gloucestershire’s Melissa Story said “The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is coming to England, and Bristol, in just 50 days' time. Initiatives like today are so important to inspire the next generation of cricketers to take their first steps into playing the game that's given me so much. Major tournaments can have such a powerful legacy and today’s School Cricket Day is a pivotal step towards encouraging more girls and boys, across Bristol and Gloucestershire and the entire country, to pick up a bat and ball and fall in love with the sport.”

Councillor Heather Mack, Deputy Leader of Bristol City Council, said: “Sport can be a great leveller, no matter your background, you have the chance to excel. That’s why days like this can build confidence, even beyond the sport itself. Sport can inspire children to believe that they are capable of achievement, not despite their background, but because of it.

“For too long, that privilege has been reserved for men and boys. In Bristol, women are less physically active than men. However, the gap is gradually decreasing. Events like last year’s Rugby World Cup are helping to accelerate the process. Almost 70% of people who went to the Women’s Rugby World Cup with girls under 18 say that those girls now feel more motivated to be physically active. This Summer’s T20 World Cup can have the same effect for young girls in our city. I hope that they’ll leave the County Ground feeling more confident, capable, and motivated to try cricket.”

Gemma Barton, ECB Head of Strategic Growth, said “Moments like this show how the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is shaping the future of the game. Every girl and boy inspired to pick up a bat and ball today can see how inclusive, welcoming and fun cricket is. It’s not just about the summer ahead, it’s about what comes next: more girls playing, more teams growing, and more people feeling like they belong in the game.”

Catch the spirit of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 – buy your tickets now and be part of history: tickets.womens.t20worldcup.com/