#BeAGameChanger, the ECB tweeted in April this year, when it was nominated by the Womens Sport Trust as National Governing Body of the Year. History will be made this summer, when the inaugural Kia Super League is launched.England has a long and chequered history of womens league cricket. Womens leagues have existed in the north of England since the 1920s, organised in places where mens league cricket had traditionally been strong: mainly Lancashire and Yorkshire. Bradford, for example, staged a Womens Evening Cricket League, which by 1932 had 23 teams enrolled. In 1930, Keighley CC of the Bradford League organised the Keighley Ladies Cricket Competition, a knockout tournament where the cup was provided by the mothers of the Keighley mens team. The Yorkshire Evening Post described one womens league match in 1931 as a grimly fought out struggle… Bradfordians should roll up in force to encourage their womenfolk in the field.In some ways the Kia Super League is simply a continuation of this radical tradition of womens league cricket in England. Northern league cricket in the 1930s changed the face of womens cricket for good. Why? Because it was one of the first times that female cricketers in England could receive payment for their activities. While players were not paid directly, collections were made for outstanding performances: in 1930, a Mrs L Wilson was paid £4 in two successive matches, having taken a hat-trick in each.Similarly, the Super League allows for female domestic cricketers - so often still forced to pay their own way when it comes to playing their sport - to earn match fees and expenses. There will also be prize money for the first time ever in English womens domestic cricket. The prospect has already tempted several ex-international players out of retirement: Laura Newton, Arran Brindle and Rosalie Fairbairn (nee Birch) among them. Fairbairn retired in 2009 at the age of just 25, citing the need to focus on her career, having been offered a full-time post with Chance to Shine as a project manager and PR officer. The fact is, womens cricket is still very rarely lucrative enough for anyone to earn their living from it. Many players, even the best ones, are forced to exit the game early, concerned for their future career prospects.The Super League might just change all that. While it is important to note that KSL players cannot yet be considered professionals - there is no salary for participants - the ECB has stated that it is its aspiration for it to become so. Ironically the Womens Cricket Association, the governing body of womens cricket before the ECB took over in 1998, was concerned about league cricket in the 1930s precisely because it believed that if female cricket became competitive, it would lead to a seeping professionalisation of the sport - anathema to those who were amateurs in the purest sense of the word.It didnt happen like that in the end, of course: there simply wasnt enough money invested in the leagues to do so. But perhaps this time around, with the backing of a body as rich as the ECB, things might be different. And if domestic womens cricket can begin to be professionalised, then the sky is the limit.Even with this uncertainty, though, it is already clear that the Kia Super League, which begins at the end of July, will indeed make history.Eighty years ago womens league cricket had an extremely limited player pool. Most teams were works sides. The Preston and District League, for example, featured teams from Ensign Lamps, Preston Steam Laundry and Penwortham Mills. It was employer sponsorship, and the provision of high-quality works grounds, that made womens league cricket possible. Thus, while mens league teams could call upon the likes of Learie Constantine to bolster their ranks, doing the same was out of the question for their female counterparts. By contrast, the Super League is built on the principle of the best (from all over England) playing the best. Over the coming six-team three-week T20 competition, 72 of the best female players in England will be competing under the banner of Lancashire Thunder, Loughborough Lightning, Southern Vipers, Surrey Stars, Western Storm and Yorkshire Diamonds. And with three international players per team, the best talent from around the world will also be on display. On 12 August, Old Trafford will play host to Hayley Matthews, the star of the Womens World T20 final, giving it some welly for Thunder. Rock up to The Oval on August 4 and Meg Lanning of Stars will be showing exactly why she is widely considered the best female cricketer in the world right now. Suzie Bates will be showing off her power-hitting abilities at the Ageas Bowl on August 8. And if youre Midlands-based, get over to Loughborough University on August 3 or 5 to watch the ridiculously talented Ellyse Perry in action for Lightning.Even the inaugural, phenomenally successful Womens Big Bash League could not boast such a dazzling list of names. Sadly, unlike in the WBBL - but like with those very first womens leagues back in the 1930s - youre going to have to get along to the grounds in person if you want to watch the games. Sky may have covered a lot of England Womens matches in recent years but it has recently been confirmed that there will be no live TV broadcast of any KSL games this summer - including finals day, August 21.The apparent logic is that the mens T20 Blast final is the day before, and that it would not be logistically possible for Sky to cover both events. And, thanks to the ECBs current broadcast deal with Sky, it is not currently possible for another broadcaster to be approached. For a sport that is seeking to grow its fan base, this is a big mistake.If we really want KSL to be a game-changer in the long term, then lets (as was hinted at when the competition was announced in June last year) aim to get it on free-to-air TV. Given the viewing figures seen for televised games during the WBBL, this surely isnt much to ask?For now, though, well have to be content with the Super League trying to rival some of the audiences that womens domestic cricket achieved at the height of league popularity in the 1930s (some 8000 spectators attended a match between Lancashire and Yorkshire at Bradford Park Avenue in 1931). In common with the Yorkshire Evening Post, Id urge not just Bradfordians but Londoners, Lancastrians, Loughburghians and all those in between to roll up in force and encourage their womenfolk in the field. Youre bound to see some exciting cricket. Vapormax 2021 . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. Vapormax Online . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. https://www.cheapvapormaxoutlet.com/ . PAUL, Minn. Vapormax 2020 . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. Wholesale Vapormax . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. CARMEL, Ind. -- Roberto Castro wants nothing more than to go home to Atlanta, and he took a soggy step in the right direction Thursday in the BMW Championship.Castro was just as good before the rain as he was after the storms cleared at Crooked Strick, running off eight birdies until a bogey on his last hole for a 7-under 65 and the temporary lead.Storms and heavy rain caused a 3 1/2-hour delay and changed the nature of Crooked Stick from fast and firm to greens that were soft and accessible. The delay meant that just under half the 69-man field finished the round. The round was to resume at 8 a.m. Friday, with more bad weather in the forecast.Brian Harman got right back into gear. He was in position to potentially lock up his spot in the Tour Championship until closing with a 77 from the final group at the TPC Boston on Monday. He opened with a 66, with an eagle on the par-5 15th hole and no bogeys on his card.U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson was within one shot of the lead until he sent his drive into the lake to the right of the 18th fairway and made bogey, giving him a 67 along with Jason Dufner.Among those still on the course, Chris Kirk was at 5 under at the turn, while Hideki Matsuyama, Paul Casey and Adam Scott were at 4 under on the back nine.Castro went to Georgia Tech and still lives in Atlanta, about 15 minutes from East Lake. Thats the destination for everyone in the field trying to get into the top 30 in the FedEx Cup and advance to the Tour Championship for a shot at the $10 million bonus.DAP CHAMPIONSHIPBEACHWOOD, Ohio -- Bobby Wyatt took a one-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau in the rain-delayed DAP Championshiip, the inaugural tournament that opens the four-event Web.dddddddddddd.com Tour Finals.Wyatt closed with a birdie for a 7-under 63 at Canterbury Golf Club. DeChambeau, the former SMU player who swept the 2015 NCAA and U.S. Amateur titles, birdied the final two holes for a 64.D.A. Points and Zack Sucher shot 65. None of the afternoon starters were able to complete the round that was delayed for more than three hours because of rain and suspended for the day at 6:58 p.m. when another storm rolled in.The four-event series features the top 75 players from the Web.com Tour money list, Nos. 126-200 in the PGA Tours FedEx Cup standings and non-members such as Wyatt and DeChambeau who earned enough money to have placed in the top 200 had they been eligible.The top 25 players on the Web.com Tour regular-season money list earned PGA Tour cards. They are competing against each other for tour priority, with regular-season earnings counting in their totals. The other players are fighting for 25 cards based on series earnings.KLM OPENSPIJK, Netherlands -- Ben Evans birdied five birdies in his first six holes and finished with a 6-under 65 at The Dutch for a one-stroke lead in the KLM Open.Dutch amateur Rowin Caron was a stroke back along with Mikko Korhonen, Bernd Wiesberger, Peter Hanson, Byeong Hun An, Joakim Lagergren, Nino Bertasio and Chris Hanson.Defending champion Thomas Pieters, the Belgian player selected as European Ryder Cup captains pick, pulled out of the tournament after being stung by a bee this week. ' ' '