The Int'l Cricket Council announced that Lord’s Cricket Ground will host the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup in '17, according to the PA. World Cup matches will be hosted by Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Somerset and Lord’s from June 26-July 23. The 28-day tournament will feature 31 games. Eight teams will participate in a single-league format, "with each side playing the other once." The top four sides following the conclusion of the league matches will progress to the semifinals with the winners meeting at Lord’s on July 23. It will be the first time the tournament has been held in England since '93, "when the home side beat New Zealand in the final at Lord’s." England & Wales Cricket Board Dir of Events Steve Elworthy said, "This is a very exciting time for the women’s game in this country and staging a Women’s World Cup here will really help drive interest and participation in women's cricket at every level" (PA, 2/8). ESPN reported England hosted the inaugural Women's World Cup, back in '73, and again in '93. ECB Dir of England Women's Cricket Clare Connor said, "At a global level, the introduction of the ICC Women's Championship has made our game more competitive and exciting than ever before. It has created global context. ... In this country, last summer's record-breaking attendances for the Women's Ashes series showed there is a growing audience and appetite for women's cricket -- we witnessed excellent crowds, including full houses at Chelmsford and Hove, coupled with growing media and commercial interest" (ESPN, 2/8).
