Goring Cricket Club, based in South Oxfordshire,
has seen significant growth in women’s and girls’
cricket over the past six years, with its programme
continuing to develop and expand. Founded in
1876, the club introduced its first girls’ team in 2020, followed by the formation of a women’s team in 2023. Since then, the club has created four teams,
reached four county finals, coached more than 120
players, and seen six girls progress to playing
senior mixed cricket. With female players aged
between 10 and 16 years old, Goring has promoted
and encouraged cricket in a variety of formats,
including soft and hard ball, pairs, and T20 cricket,
ensuring opportunities for players of all abilities to
participate and develop. The programme has been
established and run by dedicated volunteers, most
notably head coach Richard McNeill, and
supporters Graham Lunt and Freya McNeill, who is
expanding her coaching role. Under his guidance,
players who were new to the sport have gone on to
represent the club in multiple finals, including a
finals day against Cumnor in 2023 at the renowned
Wormsley Cricket Ground.
Case Study One – Finals Day
In August 2025, Goring Cricket Club hosted the
Oxfordshire county Finals Day for U11s, U13s and
U15s, in which two of Goring’s teams were
involved. The event saw 6 teams, 60 players and
over 300 spectators throughout the day, a clear
indication of the popularity of the sport and its
importance in the community. Over 20 volunteers
turned up, preparing pitches, serving food and
drinks and coordinating all activities. Despite the
occasional September rain shower, all 3 matches
were played out, with 2 of them coming down to the final ball.
Case Study Two – Freya & Ella
One of the club’s proudest moments was the mixed
senior league debut for Freya and Ella in 2024, who
shared 5 wickets between them in GCC 2 nd XI’s
victory over Bracknell in Thames Valley League
Division 4. Both girls had previously played for
Goring U15s and friendly Sunday matches, proving
their ability to become the first girls to represent the
club in a senior league in its 150-year history. They
continue to make regular appearances and were
part of the team that won the league in 2024. The
club has also seen 3 other girls, Xanthe, Addie and
Emily play mixed senior cricket, and hopes to see
these numbers grow year on year.
Case Study Three – Women’s Team
In 2023, Goring CC created their first women’s
team, who entered a softball tournament and played various friendly matches throughout the season. The team remained unbeaten, with many players entirely new to cricket, but utilising their skills in other sports to develop their abilities. The team was made up of mothers of the academy players, along with an ex-Australian international who led the way.
The club continues to grow with 50 female players
currently active. The inclusion of women and girls’
cricket in the club has turned Goring Cricket Club
into a very family-focused operation, transforming
the culture and increasing exposure for the sport.
Huge amounts of goodwill have helped the club
flourish, ensuring a positive and optimistic future.
Written by Freya McNeill (Co-Chair of OCB Youth
Board, Player and Coach at Goring CC)