Bushy Park Girls Cricket Club (BPG) and Teddington Cricket Club (TCC) have announced a merger of the two clubs.

James Keightley, TCC's general manager, hopes the move will increase the opportunities and accessibility for girls' and women's cricket in the local area.

Following a successful vote at the BPG AGM on 13 March, BPG has confirmed it will merge with TCC to form the women's and girls' section of TCC.

Mr Keightley says the merger will "provide financial stability for the future of women's and girls' cricket" and will strengthen the existing team offerings at TCC.

Speaking on the merger, BPG chair Shelley Sheridan said: "We are really excited to open up new possibilities for future development.

"It's a great time to be involved in women's and girls' cricket and brings together two clubs committed to providing these opportunities for female cricket."

Her TCC counterpart, William Frewen, said: "We are delighted to be welcoming BPG and its women's and girls' teams to join the TCC family.

"It is an extremely exciting moment for both clubs and a pivotal moment for the local community.

"We are confident this move will further expand the opportunities for women and girls of all backgrounds to fall in love with cricket."

TCC's under 5s to under 8s age groups will remain mixed, while children aged nine or older will now be given the option to train and play matches in a girls-only environment alongside the existing 100-plus BPG members.

Girls from BPG and TCC will also be able to train and play in the TCC mixed teams.

This year will also see the addition of soft ball and competitive cricket opportunities for women alongside TCC's continued participation in the Middlesex Women's over 30s hardball league.

More details on women's and girls' training sessions can be found at TCC's website here.