The North Metro Cricket Association’s women’s competition has tripled in size in the space of a season.
The new season which started two weeks ago, includes 11 teams – up from four teams in the inaugural season.
Player numbers have increased from 45 to more than 135 this season.
Playing in two divisions, the top division comprising teams who played last season, the teams play T20 matches.
Games are played on Saturday and Sundays across five rounds and finals. Last season, the competition was run over seven weeks with a mixture of T20 and 30 over matches.
Teams will play for the Lorraine Ireland Shield.
The expansion of the competition comes after a four-week pre-season program in which 175 women participated in.
Victorian cricketers including Nat Schilov, Kirsty Lamb and Jenn Taffs helped run the sessions.
The NMCA is planning to run a second season in January and February, with matches to be one-day fixtures.
The women’s teams will also be involved in the association’s Festival of Cricket on February 12.
