Old boys cricket club is relegated for not having a girls team - even though the school has no female pupils

Published: 07:09 EDT, 5 November 2026 | Updated: 07:14 EDT, 5 November 2026 An old boys' cricket club has been relegated from their league for not having a girls' team or a junior section, despite two appeals. The Old Hamptonians Cricket Club is largely made up of alumni from Hampton School, an independent school which charges up to £31,248 per year.The club in south-west London is an open team, meaning non-students can join. The team, which was promoted to Division One last season, has now been demoted to Division Two for failing to meet the requirements of a tier-one club. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) requires all tier-one clubs to have a girls' section, three hardball junior teams and a cricket programme for five to 11-year-olds.A girls' section is defined by a minimum of one girls' team playing in either a softball or hardball fixture, league or friendly, indoors or outdoors. The team can be any age group, from and including under-9s up to under-18s. The Daily Mail understands the Old Hamptonians were aware of the requirements years before it was demoted ahead of the 2027 season. It is the only team in the Surrey league to be relegated for this breach. The Old Hamptonians Cricket Club (pictured) has been relegated from their league for not having a girls' team or a junior section, despite two appeals The club has appealed the decision twice, first with the Surrey Cricket Foundation, which rejected the appeal, and then to the ECB, which upheld the previous rulingAs it stands, the Old Hamptonians cannot be promoted out of Division Two even if they were to win the league, the Daily Telegraph reports. The club has appealed the decision twice, first with the Surrey Cricket Foundation, which rejected the appeal, and then to the ECB, which upheld the previous ruling. It said it was near impossible for the club to meet the requirements since the school has no female students above the age of seven.Girls can attend Hampton Pre-Prep from Kindergarten to Year Two, with many moving to the adjacent all-girls school, Lady Eleanor Holles.The club argued that Hampton School functions as their junior section. 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 spokesperson said: 'In exchange for ECB funding, accredited Premier Leagues need to meet specific criteria which are designed to promote strong and sustainable clubs. These criteria include having a junior and girls' section. 'This has been communicated for the last two seasons, with support available for clubs via local Recreational Cricket Boards to help with implementation. '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.