ESSEX coach Matt Hyam wants England’s World Cup triumph to transform female cricket in the county.

England’s women’s team beat India in a thrilling final at a jam packed Lords’s on Sunday.

And Hyam - Essex’s high performance manager for women’s and girls’ cricket - is hoping the win will result in more females turning to the sport.

“The World Cup final was fantastic and hopefully the exposure it’s got through England winning will be huge for cricket moving forward,” said Hyam.

“We’re hoping it will be our Ashes 2005 moment and that there will be an explosion of people wanting to play the game.”

Essex’s female team and an Eastern Region XI both battled the wet weather to face the Netherlands at Garon Park in Southend yesterday.

And Hyam remains encouraged by the progress which is being made.

“Participation levels in girls and women’s’ cricket has been steadily rising in our area in the past 10 years.

“It’s definitely a different game to where it was and the participation levels in clubs and schools is getting higher and higher all the time.

“In Essex we have a really good club programme and there are a lot of clubs and schools playing cricket which is great.

“We also have under 11, 13, 15 and 17 teams at county level and have a senior team who play in the county championship.

“They have a promotion play-off at the end of the summer and are trying to get back into Division Two.

“I personally think it’s better than it’s ever been before but we always want to get more girls playing and hopefully the World Cup will be the extra boost we need to kick it off.”

Hyam also hopes the added exposure will result in more sponsorship which would also enable women’s cricket to move forward both on and of the wicket.

“Over the next few years I would like to see it become more professional,” said Hyam.

“It is professional at international level but hopefully it will cascade down into the county game.”

But Hyam’s main goal is to get more girls playing cricket.

“Anyone wanting to start should contact their local club as a lot of them now cater for females,” said Hyam.

“If not then they should contact the Essex Cricket Board. We have a woman and girls manager who will be more than happy to point people in the right direction.”