The ECB has announced a programme of red-ball cricket for England Women in 2027, built around the Women's Ashes Test against Australia at Headingley, which starts on 24 June. To fit the plan in, England's tour of West Indies in April will no longer include a Test match.
What Was Announced
The ECB confirmed the following preparation for the Ashes Test:
- A 10-day red-ball training camp in Bangalore in January, ahead of the inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy.
- Three red-ball "best v best" intra-squad matches in England.
- A three-day match against Australia A in the run-up to the Test.
According to the ECB, at least two of the intra-squad matches will let the selectors assess a wider group of players in the format before they pick the Ashes squad. The board said the current domestic structure gives players few chances to play multi-day cricket.
The tour of West Indies will now feature three T20 internationals and three ODIs only. The ECB said there was not enough time for the Test that had originally been planned, and thanked Cricket West Indies for agreeing to its request. Dates and venues will be confirmed by Cricket West Indies, and the tour will take place after the opening round of Metro Bank One-Day Cup matches, which will involve all England players.
What It Means
The Headingley Test is worth four points in the multi-format Women's Ashes. ECB chief executive Richard Gould said it was important the players had the right preparation and the best chance to succeed.
"A 10-day warm-weather red-ball camp in India followed by four further matches in English conditions will provide Charlotte Edwards and her team with the appropriate game time to be ready for that challenge," Gould said.
He added that best-versus-best cricket in English conditions would allow the ECB to assess its strength in depth and give more players competitive multi-day matches over a longer period.
Source: ECB news.