Alice Davidson-Richards believes Surrey’s new ‘one club, one team’ mentality will be a major advantage as the professional women’s county cricket structure kicks off with the Metro Bank One Day Cup launching this week.
Surrey women prepare for fully professional era
With the women’s squad now operating under full-time contracts, the 30-year-old England all-rounder says the integration with Surrey’s men’s team is fostering a stronger sense of unity across the club.
“There’s a lot of crossover, especially with us using the same facilities and being around each other,” Davidson-Richards says. “It feels like one club, one team. We’re stronger together rather than as two separate entities.”
She highlights how Surrey Women’s captain Bryony Smith has exchanged leadership insights with men’s captain Rory Burns, and how coaching conversations now span both squads, aligning everyone toward shared goals.
Full-time contracts already paying off
Davidson-Richards says the transition to professionalism is already delivering results, with noticeable improvements across the squad.
“Everyone’s so excited to be part of this,” she says. “Seeing how much players have improved over the last few months has been incredible. They’re now able to fully focus on training without juggling other commitments.”
The all-rounder, who has represented England internationally, wants to play as many matches as possible this season and “make a positive impact” in each one—on the pitch and within the community.
Inspiring the next generation of women cricketers
“When I was growing up, I wasn’t really aware of women’s cricket,” she says. “It wasn’t on TV. Now we have a real chance to change that and inspire young girls.”
Davidson-Richards recalls watching women’s rugby as a fan recently and realizing the visibility and impact professional athletes can have on the next generation. “It’s about being a good person and setting the right example. Just be a good egg.”
Using The Hundred as a gateway to wider formats
She sees The Hundred as a successful gateway competition that has pulled new fans into the sport—and believes it’s time to transition those fans into other formats like double-header T20s and county 50-over cricket.
“That’s the whole point of these competitions—to bring in new fans,” she says. “If we can transition them from The Hundred to other formats, it benefits the game.”
Venues like The Kia Oval, Davidson-Richards adds, are ideal for attracting wider audiences, and she believes the professional era can drive continued growth for women’s cricket in England and Wales.
Learning from women’s football’s rise
Davidson-Richards says English cricket can learn a lot from the rise of women’s football, where clubs have grown massive fan bases using modern tools like social media and strategic marketing.
“Seeing 50,000 fans at the Emirates for women’s football is incredible. It shows what’s possible if we get it right off the field as well as on it.”
Name of Author: ECB
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is the national governing body for cricket in England and Wales, formed on January 1, 1997. It combines roles from the Test and County Cricket Board, National Cricket Association, and Cricket Council, and integrated the Women’s Cricket Association in 1998. Based at Lord’s Cricket Ground, the ECB oversees all levels of cricket, including national teams for men, women, and various disability categories.
