England spots up for grabs in 'new era'

Women's cricket begins a new era today with the launch of the tier one county game and England's Tammy Beaumont believes international shirts will be won and lost as the competition heats up.

- 

After a lengthy gestation the inaugural fixtures in the women's Metro Bank One-Day Cup are at hand, with a fully professional top division of eight teams aligned to first-class counties. That replaces the old regional structure and has delivered not only a huge uplift in full-time contracts, up to more than 150 from a base of just 40 at the start of the decade, but a commitment to greater off-field resources and support.

With Charlotte Edwards newly installed as England head coach after a period of post-Ashes blood-letting, there is also an entirely clean slate for players up and down the country to make their mark on.