During the May half term, the MCC Foundation brought together teams from Gloucestershire and beyond for a fantastic day of cricket at Millfield School.
Hosted at one of the country’s premier school sporting facilities, the MCCFs South-West regional tournament offered girls from state-educated backgrounds a chance to play competitive cricket in an inspiring setting.
Across Gloucestershire, the MCCF have run girls hubs for U14 and U16 cohorts in Bristol, Cirencester and Cheltenham. The hubs provide a great opportunity for state-educated cricketers to access hard ball cricket, with a 10-week winter training programme and summer matchplay opportunities all provided free of charge.
The festival itself featured 4 teams from Gloucestershire, with two sides from Bristol, and Cheltenham and Cirencester both fielding a side each. A team each from Somerset and Cardiff hubs completed the lineups for the day. The tournament followed a fast-paced, 8-a-side T10 format, with each team playing at least 3 matches across the day. It culminated with an exciting all-Bristol final, where Bristol A edged out Bristol B in a high-scoring, hard-fought contest.
Beyond the on-field action, the day was a celebration of team spirit, enthusiasm, and the inclusive ethos of the MCC Foundation. With proud parents cheering from the sidelines and players relishing the chance to represent their teams, the festival was a clear success.
Wilf Brooke, MCCF Gloucestershire Hub Manager, reflected on the day:
Today has been a brilliant day of cricket. For many of these girls, it was their first time experiencing a venue like Millfield, and they absolutely rose to the occasion. It is just rewards for all of them, who have worked hard during the winter training programme. The atmosphere and camaradarie was fantastic throughout – it’s days like this that make all the hard work worth it.
Events like this continue to open doors for young female cricketers and remind us all of the power of sport to inspire and connect.
More Opportunities for Gloucestershire cricketers through the MCC Foundation
6 MCCF cricketers from across the Gloucestershire boys and girls hubs will be featuring in the Apex Festival at Millfield School between the 29th June – 2nd July. The festival is a global T20 festival, with teams from leading global cricketing institutions competing. As well as the matchplay opportunities, there will also be masterclasses put on by cricketing legends, including Sir Andrew Strauss and Ebony Rainford-Brent. This opportunity has arisen from players showing exceptional commitment and aptitude within their respective MCCF Hub programmes.
To find out more about the MCCF programme in Gloucestershire, and get involved with it for 2025/26, please keep an eye on our MCCF page on the website.