MEGAFEST: The festival batting off the boundaries for women in cricket.

Once again, the Worcestershire Cricket Foundation will bowl over the community with MEGAFEST, which takes place on Saturday 8th June at the Kings Playing Fields behind Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

The event has been put in place to celebrate the success of women and girls in the sport and invite them down for a fun cricket tournament. It has been described by a participant as being able to “make it as competitive as you like,” highlighting the fun nature of the day. Obviously with the event being aimed at women and girls, it gives a sense of empowerment and togetherness to those participating. Something that isn’t easy to achieve in a sport long dominated by the men’s game. Last year it was hosted at the same time as England Women against New Zealand. Where over 270 women took part across 24 teams, making for a great atmosphere.

By supporting the Foundation, you’re not just backing a festival, but you’re helping power its mission to make #CricketForAll a reality.

Billy the Executive Director of Worcestershire Cricket Foundation commented on the event saying: 'We want every woman and girl in Worcestershire to know that cricket is for them so we're offering two exciting ways to get involved: a participation group for those who just want to have fun and a competitive group for teams ready to challenge themselves. If you're a female cricketer aged 14 or older, bring your team, give it a go and enjoy a day full of laughs, fun and softball cricket.' 

The foundation runs a range of programmes all year round, it does so much for the community and has been able to transform lives and build lasting connections.

For example, Ally and Aidan have found confidence in themselves since getting involved in sessions like ‘Walking Cricket’ and ‘Holiday Activities’ which have given them a renewed sense of purpose. “Cricket is a very inclusive sport, and I think anyone could get into cricket no matter your disability or your age.” Said Will, who took part in the Super 1s team, which is dedicated to giving young people with a disability the chance to play cricket. MEGAFEST is all about moments like these, giving people who might not usually feel suited to the sport an inclusive, safe and friendly space to enjoy cricket. 

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Editors notes

Worcestershire Cricket Foundation works with schools, clubs, charities and other partners to uplift a county that is both active and inclusive.

The Impact Highlights of the foundation in 2023 were:

-           40,000 participants reached

-           18,276 children received cricket coaching in schools

-           275 MEGAFEST participants

-           542 cricket coaching hours delivered at clubs

-           2,731 participants reached through national programmes

 It is said cricket is one of the dominant sports in the women’s market. Leagues like The Hundred have set attendance records of over 300,000 fans and provides eight of the year’s 10 most-watched women’s events on Sky Sports.

This year’s event also comes as women’s cricket reaches new heights. Thanks to competitions like The Hundred where inspiring players like Captain Heather Knight continue to break new ground, more girls than ever are stepping onto the pitch. Worcestershire Cricket Foundation is determined to keep this momentum going with dedicated girls’ sessions and pathways into the game. Who knows? England’s next Heather Knight could discover their love for the game right here at MEGAFEST.