The dates and venues for the 2017 World Cup in England have been confirmed, with the Southern Stars looking to defend their ODI title
2017 Women's World Cup dates announced
The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars will kick off their Women's World Cup title defence in June next year, with the England and Wales Cricket Board confirming the dates and venues for the 2017 tournament.
The tournament will begin on June 26, with 31 matches to be staged across five venues – Lord's, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Somerset and Gloucestershire.
The Southern Stars, the reigning 50-over world champions, will hope to still be in the running for a second consecutive title when the World Cup final is staged at Lord's on July 23, 2017.
It is the first time the World Cup has been held in England since 1993, when the host side beat New Zealand in the final at Lord’s.
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The tournament was originally due to be played in August, but ECB director of events Steve Elworthy said it had been moved forward to capitalise on growing interest in the women's game.
"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," Elworthy said.
"It’s critical we use this event to reach out to young children in particular so we’ve moved the tournament start date to earlier in the summer."
Last year's Women's Ashes in England generated more media coverage and public interest than ever before, with all matches broadcast live in the UK as well as online in Australia.
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It also smashed an attendance record for a Women's Ashes series, with spectator numbers up 22 per cent on 2013 and sell-out crowds attending T20 matches at boutique venues in Chelmsford and Hove.
"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," Clare Connor, ECB’s Director of England Women’s Cricket, said.
Australia won the most recent event in 2013, defeating West Indies by 114 runs in the final in Mumbai.
The Southern Stars will look to win an unprecedented seventh World Cup title, adding to their 1978, 1982, 1988, 1997, 2005 and 2013 victories.