Ealing Girls London Youth Games Cricket Champions Again
Third year running that borough team has taken the title
Ealing's winnning team
March 26, 2026
Ealing’s girls cricket team have claimed gold at the 2026 London Youth Games finals, securing their third consecutive title in the competion. The final took place on Sunday 22 March at UEL SportsDock, just days before the start of England’s domestic county cricket season.
Ealing were one of eight teams to reach finals day, emerging from a field of 28 boroughs that competed in qualifiers earlier in the month. Their performances on the day combined skill, teamwork and composure, culminating in a closely fought final that saw Ealing take gold, Redbridge silver and Bexley bronze.
Swara, one of the Ealing players, said the win was a proud moment for the team.
“It means so much to win the London Youth Games, because our team has come so far in this tournament,” she said. “As we’ve progressed through the day, we’ve seen so much improvement in how we’ve played as a team, and to have won at the end after such a tense game, it's super exciting. And I’m super excited for the future.”
Team manager Bobby Behzadi praised the players for their unity and sportsmanship.
“There’s a really good spread of players from different clubs and they’ve bonded really quickly,” he said. “They’ve previously played against each other as rivals, but they’re all still really friendly and that’s credit to them. It’s a brilliant achievement, really amazing.”
The event was supported by the Wilf Slack Young Cricketers Development Trust, which works to expand access to youth cricket and honour the legacy of Wilf Slack, the Middlesex and England cricketer who died in 1989 aged just 34. The trust’s partnership with the London Youth Games has helped more than 450 young players take part, many of whom might not otherwise have had access to competitive cricket.
Esmae McGregor, a right-arm seam bowler for Essex and a rising star in the women’s game, attended the event to present medals. McGregor was recently named Essex Women’s Young Player of the Year and has earned selection for the Manchester Originals in the 2025 edition of The Hundred.
Girls in secondary schools currently play around half as much cricket as boys, and dedicated competitions like the London Youth Games are helping to close that gap. For many participants, the event offers a first taste of competitive cricket and a chance to build confidence, friendships and a lasting connection to the sport.
The London Youth Games Foundation supports more than 10,000 young people across the capital each year, delivering opportunities in 37 sports across all 33 boroughs. The girls cricket finals are part of a wider effort to make cricket more inclusive and accessible at a time when the sport is enjoying renewed popularity, now ranked as the eighth most popular in the UK.
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