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ECB names regional T20 competition after Charlotte Edwards

Women's CricZone Staff

24 Jun 2021

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ECB names regional T20 competition after Charlotte Edwards — Charlotte Edwards. © Getty Images

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that the new Regional T20 Competition would be named after former cricketer Charlotte Edwards. The inaugural edition of the T20 competition will be called the Charlotte Edwards Cup and will begin on Saturday (June 26).

Speaking about naming the tournament after Edwards, ECB Managing Director of Women's Cricket, Clare Connor, said that it is a powerful way to connect the regional game with such iconic figures in women’s cricket.

In 2020, the ECB named the 50-over tournament after Rachael Heyhoe-Flint. Although several former cricketers have served English cricket with distinction, Connor said that Edward's relevance to the T20 game and her excellence as a player in the international T20 format was most fitting for the competition to take her name.

Edwards has played more matches for England than any other player so far, making her debut way back in 1996. She has played 23 Tests, 191 ODIs and 95 T20Is. She also captained the team from 2006 to 2016, leading the team to glory in the 2009 ODI and T20I World Cups. Edwards is still the leading run-scorer for England in the shortest format, followed by Sarah Taylor and Danielle Wyatt.

"Lottie (Charlotte) is a true legend of English cricket," said Connor. "She led from the front as a player, and she is now giving back to the game as a coach, helping our domestic players have the best chance of potentially going on to represent the national side."

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Connor added that the players who are competing in the Charlotte Edwards Cup could aspire to step up to compete on the international stage.

Currently serving as head coach of Southern Vipers, Edwards said that it is an honour to have her name attached to the competition.

"The regional players who will take part in the competition are at the beginning of such an exciting journey. The pathway has progressed and developed so far since I was in their position."

"I hope, like, we saw with the Rachael Heyhoe Flint, that players from across the eight teams could continue to impress at the regional level and push hard for international selection. The new domestic set-up is a real game-changer for women's cricket in this country. I am really proud to be a part of it," she concluded.

Rachael Heyhoe-Flint trophy Charlotte Edwards ECB