The Old Hamptonians cricket club has been relegated from Division One to Division Two after failing to provide a girls’ team and junior section, despite appealing against the decision twice.
The south-west London club, largely made up of former pupils of Hampton School, had been promoted to the top division last season. It is the only team in the Surrey league to have been relegated for failing to meet the requirements.
Under England and Wales Cricket Board rules, clubs in the top two divisions of an accredited Premier League must run a cricket programme for children aged five to 11, have three hardball junior teams and field a girls’ side.
The girls’ requirement can be met by one team of any age from under-nines to under-18s, playing either softball or hardball cricket in a league or friendly fixture, indoors or outdoors.
The Old Hamptonians, an open club that allows non-students to join, had been aware of the conditions for several years. It argued that Hampton School effectively served as its junior section, but said it was close to impossible to fulfil the rules because the school has no female pupils above the age of seven.
Girls can attend Hampton Pre-Prep from kindergarten to Year Two, with many then moving to the neighbouring all-girls’ school, Lady Eleanor Holles.
The club first appealed to the Surrey Cricket Foundation, which rejected the case. A second appeal to the ECB was also unsuccessful, with the governing body upholding the original ruling.
The demotion means the Old Hamptonians cannot be promoted from Division Two even if they win the league.
A Surrey Cricket Foundation spokesman said: “It is an ECB requirement that teams who play in the top two divisions of ECB-accredited Premier Leagues run cricket programmes for five to 11-year-olds, have junior teams, as well as a girls’ team as part of their club.
“At the Surrey Cricket Foundation, we are fully supportive of this and believe it is an important part of making sure that cricket is truly a game for all by ensuring that high-performing clubs are also playing their role in creating access for boys and girls to play the sport.”
An ECB spokesman said the criteria were required in exchange for funding and were designed to promote “strong and sustainable clubs”.
“This has been communicated for the last two seasons, with support available for clubs via local Recreational Cricket Boards to help with implementation,” the spokesman said.
“Clubs failing to comply by 31 October 2026 are ineligible to play in the top two divisions of an ECB Premier League.”
The Old Hamptonians declined to comment.
