The ECB have today announced the fixtures for the 2023 Women’s Ashes series – and the big news is that the Test at Trent Bridge will be held over five days.
The Test will be only the second in history ever to be played over five days, following on from repeated disappointment after a series of recent rain-affected draws – the most recent against South Africa in June.
The multi-format series will look similar to recent Women’s Ashes with one Test, three ODIs and three T20s – however, in a departure from previous series, the Test match will be played at the start, with the T20 leg in the middle, and the ODIs wrapping up the schedule. Two of the T20s will be played as evening games in London, at The Oval and Lord’s – the first time the Women’s Ashes has been played at these grounds.
It had previously been suggested that the question of a fifth day for women’s Tests was in the hands of the ICC, but the decision to host a five-day Test appears to have been taken by the ECB independently – there is no mention in today’s press release of any change to the ICC’s overall women’s Test match playing conditions.
It is also the first time ever that the Women’s Ashes fixtures have been announced at the same time as the Men’s Ashes fixtures, with the ECB running a new joint advertising campaign with the tagline: “One Epic Rivalry, Two Epic Ashes.” This marks an interesting point of difference from Cricket Australia’s strategy which aims to give the Women’s Ashes its own window, and to market it separately from the equivalent men’s series.
The full fixture list is below:
June 22 to 26 – Test match, Trent Bridge
July 1 – T20, Edgbaston, 6.35pm
July 5 – T20, Kia Oval, 6pm
July 8 – T20, Lord’s, 6.35pm
July 12 – ODI, Bristol, 1pm
July 16 – ODI, Ageas Bowl, 11am
July 18 – ODI, Taunton, 1pm
CRICKETher 
It’ll be another series too soon for England I fear, and the extra day will just increase Aussie chances of winning.
Now England are getting beaten at home by India, who just did an Aussie World Cup final performance against England, lacking Sciver to score a century in response this time. The inevitable result was another painful defeat, the death-throws of a waning and recalcitrant Keightley tenure which has seen performance levels drop worryingly of late.
The bowling was pretty woeful (meanwhile Freya Davies 1-18 Economy 2.25 against SE Stars; Capsey injured but why no overs from Lamb/Wyatt/Dunkley?), the batting never looked like challenging the target (Dunkley looks to have lost all batting form; it was a terrible Lamb lbw decision), and this team don’t look in any sort of position to pose a threat against Australia who will still have most of their big guns around next year. Hopefully Australia will take the clever option and give some of their unproven youngsters a run out. England must be hoping that anyway, or else we can surely just write that Ashes series off now? At least we have SL coming over next year too, although on the back of what will have been a demoralising series that won’t be easy either.
Depressing all round. I normally look forward to future series, but there’s precious little cheer on the international horizon.
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