Lancashire Cricket and Destination Sport unite to elevate women’s cricket
As the new season begins, Lancashire Cricket is proud to celebrate a continued landmark investment in women’s cricket in partnership with commercial partner Destination Sport.
For the third consecutive season, Destination Sport will support Lancashire Cricket’s efforts to develop women's and girls' cricket, ranging from grassroots programmes in schools and clubs through to women’s team performance programmes. In 2026, a key focus will be the Thunder Cup competition and an expanded women’s Second XI programme. Investment from Destination Sport, a leading global sports travel business, has previously supported a pre-season training camp in Mumbai, with a specific focus on batting and spin bowling.
Now in its second year, the Thunder Cup is an inter-club women’s cricket competition created and delivered by Lancashire Cricket and Lancashire Cricket Foundation to provide competitive opportunities for club players across the region. Destination Sport’s funding will be used to cover the logistics of delivering the competition - including balls, sight screens and umpiring fees - as well as contributing towards hosting the final.
The competition has already proven its value as a key part of the player development pathway. It provides a high-quality, competitive environment where players can perform under pressure, while also offering consistent opportunities to be observed by coaches and performance staff throughout the summer. The Thunder Cup enables Lancashire Cricket to identify and track emerging talent across the region, helping to inform selection decisions and support the progression of players into the academy and beyond.
Jen Barden, Managing Director of the Lancashire Cricket Foundation, said: “The Thunder Cup is about so much more than just cricket - it’s about creating a journey. We want girls and women across Lancashire to see a clear path from playing for their local club all the way to representing Lancashire Women. The support from Destination Sport means we can continue to deliver this competition and make the final an experience that players will never forget.”
Destination Sport’s investment will also allow Lancashire to deliver what is expected to be the most comprehensive women’s Second XI programme in the country, with vital funding covering venue hire, travel, umpires, scorers and equipment at 25–30 fixtures across the season. The Second XI’s campaign with start on Friday 10 April against Loughborough.
David Thorley, Director of Women’s Cricket at Lancashire Cricket, added: “We have worked hard to build a talented and competitive squad over the last couple years, and we now need to provide further opportunities to our younger players.
“Second XI cricket is a vital part of the development pathway, and while there is currently no central funding for that level of the women’s game, support from Destination Sport allows us to deliver the volume of cricket our players need. A programme of 25 to 30 fixtures is a huge step forward and will put Lancashire at the forefront of player development in women’s cricket.”
Alongside the Thunder Cup and Second XI investment, Destination Sport’s funding continues to support Lancashire Cricket’s grassroots pilot programme, where the Foundation works with clubs in the county that do not currently have women and girl's sections. Heywood Cricket Club and Middleton Cricket Club are currently part of the initiative, which aims to create new entry points into the women and girl's game at a community level.
Rob Slawson, part of the executive team at Destination Sport, commented: “As a Manchester-based business and long-standing partner of Lancashire Cricket, we are proud to support the club’s efforts in continuing to grow the girl’s and women’s game.
“This is a unique, integrated initiative ranging from grassroots to the Women’s performance programme. We’re proud to continue supporting these initiatives as part of our wide-ranging partnership and look forward to seeing the impact in this third season.”
;