Looking back on our Women’s, Girls and Mixed Juniors 2026 season
As we move through September and the end of another cricket season, it’s time to reflect on a special year for our women’s, girls and mixed junior sections.
The numbers tell an impressive story. More than 220 women, girls and juniors trained with or played for the club this season, representing Tonbridge CC in more than 80 matches and tournaments.
The outstanding highlights were undoubtedly our first women’s match for 225 years, against Southborough’s women and the PCA event.
On a perfect May evening, the women’s match was both the culmination of six years of amazing work by Katie Malkinson and her coaching team to build our girls’ section, and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for women’s cricket at Tonbridge.
Our team included girls who had come through our U11 and U13 programmes over those six years – a wonderful illustration of what can be achieved through sustained investment and commitment. And the next generation is already coming through, with fantastic performances from our U13 girls in the league and our U11 girls in tournament cricket throughout the season. Our U13 girls also took part in their first ECB national cricket competition.
The other outstanding highlight was of course our PCA event celebrating 225 years of Tonbridge CC, when our girls and mixed juniors had the opportunity to be coached by and to meet former England players and collect their autographs.
A season of firsts
It was also a remarkable season of firsts for our mixed junior section, including:
Our first mixed junior shirt sponsors, with fantastic support from Bartlett Tree Experts, Mr Simms and WPA
Kent Countdown tournament cricket for our U9s for the first time
A third U11 side playing league cricket for the first time
ECB national cricket competitions for our U12s and U14s for the first time
Our U13s hosting Repton Prep, one of the country’s leading cricket schools, for the first time.
These milestones reflect not only the growing size of our junior section, but also the increasing ambition of the club.
Building for the future
In the third season of our turnaround, the standard of cricket has continued to rise across every section. That progress is being supported by a fantastic team of more than 30 adult and junior coaches.
Developing our juniors not only as cricketers but also as coaches and young leaders is at the heart of our philosophy. This summer, they once again stepped up to help deliver two brilliant cricket weeks during the school holidays – providing opportunities for younger players while developing their own leadership skills and confidence.
And the momentum is continuing.
Plans for next season are already well advanced, with extended training times for our U11, U13 and U15 mixed teams, alongside a brilliant new training facility at New Beacon School, where our women will also be training. We will also be providing even more opportunities for competitive cricket, helping our players continue to develop and challenge themselves.
None of this would have been possible without the commitment and support of our players, parents, coaches, groundsman, sponsors and committee. We are also hugely indebted to Hilden Grange School, whose partnership gives our children access to some of the best outdoor cricket facilities locally.
Perhaps most importantly, we continue to believe that something genuinely special is taking shape at Tonbridge CC.
The foundations are firmly in place, the next generation is coming through, and the future of cricket in Tonbridge has never looked brighter.