 | |
| Countries | England |
|---|---|
| Administrator | ECB |
| Format | One Day |
| First edition | 2020 |
| Latest edition | 2024 |
| Tournament format | Round robin |
| Number of teams | 5 |
| Current champion | Middlesex (1st title) |
| Most successful | Surrey (2 titles) |
| Website | Women's London Championship |
TheWomen's London Championship (WLC)[1] is an English women's cricket competition. It was created in 2020 following the introduction of the regionalRachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy as the highest domestic competition in women'sOne Day cricket.[2] The competition features the women'scounty cricket teams from theHome Counties.[3]
Originally theWomen's County Championship was the highest 50 over competition in English women's cricket. However, the tournament ended in 2019 to make way for aregionalised 50-over tournament andThe Hundred.[2][4] This decision was not popular with some of the county teams who felt that the new competition had removed their representation in the top flight of women's cricket.[3] The Women's London Championship was created as a county replacement.[2] The first season in 2020 featured the Home Counties ofKent,Middlesex,Surrey andEssex. Though it was endorsed by theEngland and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), it was viewed as a breakaway tournament due to a negative perception of the ECB's way of administering women's cricket by reducing the number of teams from counties to regions.[3] The counties also engaged in a running competition as a warmup.[5] The matches would be played at county outgrounds such as Kent playing at theNevill Ground,Royal Tunbridge Wells and Middlesex playing atMill Hill School, London.[6] The inaugural competition was won by Surrey.[2]
For the 2021 season, it was announced thatSussex would be joining the competition.[2] TheSouth East Stars andSunrisers regional teams agreed to release their contracted players to represent their counties in the Women's London Championship.[2] Kent won the 2021 tournament, winning three of their four matches, with defending champions Surrey in second place.[7] Surrey regained their title in 2022, winning three of their four matches (with the other match cancelled).[8] Essex won their first title in 2023, winning all four of their matches.[9] Middlesex won their first title in 2024, winning all of their matches.[10]
| Team | First | Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Essex | 2020 | 1 |
| Kent | 2020 | 1 |
| Middlesex | 2020 | 1 |
| Surrey | 2020 | 2 |
| Sussex | 2021 | 0 |