New Milton Aiming to Pioneer 'One Club' Model

Now I'm not for one second attempting to draw parallels between one of the world's biggest sporting entities and New Milton Cricket Club, but that doesn't mean the New Forest side can't share the Spanish giant's ambitions.

Albeit on a slightly less grandiose platform.

New Milton already boast one of the biggest youth set-ups in the New Forest, for both their boys and girls' sections.

Now they're taking steps to ensure that the club's future is in the safest of hands, through a mentality that isn't just seeking to secure equal opportunities across their junior sections but also provide a talent pipeline for years to come.

"Other clubs obviously have mixed teams but we're in the fortunate position - through a lot of hard work - to be able to provide both mixed and single gender sides," says New Milton chair, Dan Wooster. 

"We started that this year with a mixed under-13 squad and we've emphasised that that squad is full of 'players' - there's no gender separation. 

"Each member is picked according to their specific skill and the required balance of the team. 

"If it's deemed that six girls are the better players for a particular match, then they are selected, with the other positions being filled by boys.

"This works both ways - there's no distinction between male and female.

"We deliver girl's only training, giving them with a safe place to play cricket with their peers and also provide them with the opportunity to train with the boys on Friday night."

The aim is to create a mentality where there's no separation between the men's and women's sections - there's simply a cricket club.

"I think our approach - which we'll be looking to extend in the coming years - allows girls to face other talented cricketers and push their abilities," says Wooster.

"The boys game is slightly different and provides a different view point and skill level. It's not better, it's different.

"It also starts the integration of male and females within the club at an earlier age, which in turn promotes inclusion and familiarity and, crucially for us, a 'one club' mentality.

"Anyone will tell you it's becoming harder each season to fill the teams each week both in the ladies and the men's game.

"To help the men's teams I see it's absolutely critical to encourage junior boys and girls to play men's cricket. 

"Not only does it help the juniors develop as players, it relieves the pressures on captains knowing there are some really talented young men and women coming up the ranks.

"What's more, by encouraging girls to play men's cricket, I believe it'll encourage other girls and senior ladies to join the club."

Australian Grace Keating - who scored 136 not out against Alton last Sunday - has joined New Milton this summer, and is playing for the club's Second XI in Division 5A of the Hampshire League.

And with the Women's T20 World Cup about to begin on home soil for the first time since 2009, Izzy Hill, women's coordinator at New Milton, believes this summer represents a golden opportunity to grow the sport.

"We've made it a priority to ensure women and girls feel comfortable and get the best opportunities in the area," she says.

"We're incredibly proud to be leading the way in women’s cricket.

"With the T20 World Cup being hosted on home soil, we look forward to welcoming everyone to our club to continue the celebration of women’s cricket."

They're not just walking the walk. The club has recently engaged in a partnership with Grace & Green who are helping the club to promote the growth of period awareness.

A softball team, meanwhile, is also successfully bringing the sport to a generation of cricketers who might otherwise not have picked up a bat.

Dan Hardy, New Milton's head coach, echoes Hill's sentiments.

"This year we elected to pick a squad of players removing any gender bias and hope to continue this across all ages going forward," he says.

"We believe this approach provides not just a player pathway for girls and boys, but also an appropriate challenge and player integration by ability and player desire, as we're fully aware that not all players wish to play mixed cricket."