In 1911, the first International Women’s Day was established thanks to the pioneering spirit of Mancunian Emmeline Pankhurst and the suffragettes movement in their fight for women to gain equal rights to men across the UK. She was the Original Pioneer.

More than 100 years on, Manchester Originals are following in her footsteps to continue to drive change and champion inclusivity in sport. Our purpose aims to throw cricket’s doors open to everyone by pioneering for our community, our fans and our sport, and we are fully focused on providing an equal platform for our women athletes and coaches to thrive on the biggest stage.

Today, we celebrate International Women’s Day by honouring our women’s players, coaches and fans who have played a crucial role in our journey so far and highlight the Manchester Originals mission to push boundaries to be inclusive on and off the pitch.

From the commencement of The Hundred in 2021, Manchester Originals set out to be one squad with two teams to ensure that all players were on a level playing field. It was an historic occasion, and coaches presented cap numbers alphabetically across both the men’s and women’s team to signal their intentions of equality from the outset. We have two teams, but we are one Manchester Originals.

Manchester Originals’ appointment of Sarah Taylor as wicket-keeping coach was also momentous and further evidence of breaking boundaries to encourage equity. Sarah, who is the first women’s coach of a men’s team at The Hundred paves the way for aspiring cricket coaches not only in Manchester, but across the country and proves that there is a place for women within men’s professional sport.

Off the pitch, Manchester Originals have the community at our heart and we’re proud to highlight the achievements of women and girls grassroots cricket. In 2022, we celebrated Libby’s story. Libby was the first girl to win the Cheshire Junior Cricket League’s Player of the Year award living the Manchester Originals’ values of pioneering spirit. Libby has also inspired a growing women’s and girls section at her club. Fast bowler, Laura Jackson, made a surprise visit to her club to celebrate her success and offer advice on her journey into the professional game.

Finally, we are committed to giving our fans the best experience. It’s been incredible to see so many female fans at Emirates Old Trafford in the first two years of The Hundred and we are proud to inspire the next generation of Manchester Originals.

We are the Originals, not afraid to be the first, the best and the brightest and we will continue to lead the way in driving change for good in our city and our sport.
#OriginalPioneers