A COUNCILLOR has spoken out about the lack of inclusivity at her cricket club, which recently axed its women’s team.

Cllr Gill Jarvis of Mudeford and Stanpit Ward, a keen cricketer, said Mudeford Cricket Club has shown a “lack of interest” in teaching cricket to women.

She said: “We are at the bottom of the pile, and it is really upsetting, especially when the town council spent so much money on the new pitch.

“The club have a complete lack of interest in training women,” Gill added.

In December 2023, Christchurch Town Council invested £50,266 into regenerating the playing field for the "next generation of cricketers."

When the pitch was unveiled, Gill said: “The new pitch can come to Mudeford and play matches, which will be massive for ladies’ cricket in the area.”

However, under a year later, Gill was informed via WhatsApp that the women’s cricket team would be terminated.

She said: “It’s such a shame. It was so lovely having a place in walking distance where we could train.

“Now, the nearest women’s team is in Parley, so we will have to drive.”

Over the past year, Gill and other women from Mudeford formed a cricket team and competed in indoor matches. However, Gill said the team felt underprepared due to a lack of proper training.

She said: “The lack of interest meant we didn’t receive any proper training. I did urge that we have some funds to get trained.

“We were all different standards, but we were getting better.

“We never won a match, which I put down to the stupid training. We were never taught techniques; it was always simple stuff, which I found quite offensive and patronising.”

Gill said the players were told the team had to fold due to a lack of participants but argued that the club’s disinterest and lack of encouragement diminished people’s enthusiasm for the sport.

The Daily Echo contacted the club secretary for a comment; however, no response was provided at the time of publishing.