The Australian team takes the field during day two of the women’s Test match in the Ashes series at Manuka Oval in January 2022. Photos: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images. With permission from Cricket ACT.
In 2022 at Manuka Oval, the Australian and English women’s cricket teams played out one of the greatest Tests of all time.
Following a sporting declaration from Australian captain Meg Lanning, England attempted to chase down a target of 257 off 48 overs.
In the end, it came down to the final ball as England held on to a draw, finishing at nine wickets for 245, with Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean batting nervously as the Australian fielders surrounded the bat.
It was as tense and gripping as any Test in the history of the sport, male or female.
The result sparked calls for women’s Tests to be played over five days, not four as they are currently scheduled, contributing to the 60 per cent of women’s Tests finishing in a draw.
The situation was amplified by the fact that two sessions in 2022 were lost because of rain.
Alana King of Australia runs out England’s Anya Shrubsole during day four of the women’s Test match in the Ashes series at Manuka Oval.
Alongside this, there have been calls for more women’s Tests.
The desire for change appears to fall on sympathetic ears, but this is not reflected in the current Women’s Ashes Series.
There is still only one Test in the series, a four-day, day-night match at the MCG starting on 30 January.
One of the reasons why players and fans have called for at least a three-Test series is the narrative build-up over the longer format, as we experienced in the recent men’s series between Australia and India.
By now we should have moved on from the argument that people won’t support five days of women’s cricket.
There has been the suggestion that women aren’t ready for five-day Test matches, while the players themselves have been calling for a change to the longer format.
The current Women’s Ashes Series is a convoluted mixture of three one-dayers, three T20 games, and a Test, with points awarded for wins and draws over the multi-game format.
Canberra gets an opportunity to play a role in the Ashes series with the second T20 game set down for Manuka Oval on 23 January.
The hope is that the next time England come to Australia, they will be playing in a fully fledged five-day, three-Test series.
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