ENGLAND batter Sophia Dunkley hopes Surrey’s new professional women’s team can inspire a new generation of cricketers with several fixtures pencilled in at the Oval this season.

For the first time in the club’s history Surrey will have a professional women’s squad after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) gave them permission to become one of eight new professional teams last April.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will share the Oval this season, with the club aiming to provide equal treatment for both sides and the first fixture at the ground for Surrey Women set to be against Hampshire in June.

Dunkley, who was part of the previous Surrey set-up, said: “It’s really special to be part of such a historic club.

“We’ve got some amazing facilities here, really good support and it’s great to be around. To come in to work at the Oval every day is something that you can only dream of when you’re growing up.

“I’m looking forward to being part of this county and being able to play at big stadiums around the country.

“It will hopefully get more supporters in to watch our games, get more awareness and will be a great stage for some of the younger girls coming through to get the opportunity to show what they can do, which I think is going to be really special.

“I know this club has got some amazing talent coming through, which is incredible.

“Everyone’s just really excited to get going this season and come together as Surrey and hopefully start the season strong.”

Surrey vice-captain Tash Farrant hopes the changes can help the women’s game keep progressing.

“I’m happy that they did it. I think it seemed like the obvious progression to sort of go back to the counties and join up with the men,” Farrant explained.

“We’ve got a new home and obviously we’re called Surrey now [rather than South-East Stars], so there are obvious changes, but I don’t think the cricket is going to change much, hopefully it just keeps progressing.”

Head coach Johann Myburgh promised his side will “wear the three feathers with pride” ahead of their season opener against Somerset on April 23.

“Here at Surrey there’s certainly a sense of togetherness,” Myburgh explained.

“We’re set on wearing the three feathers with pride. We have worked a lot in the winter to understand what it means to be Surrey without losing the way we want to play our cricket.

“There’s a lot of stability within the group in terms of how we want to go about playing cricket.

“We need to respect the history and get an understanding of what it means to be Surrey and represent Surrey because we want to do them proud.”