Firm advocacy required to expand Test match cricket for women

Between the end of November and mid-January, there was a distinct shortage of women’s international cricket. This situation was corrected in enthralling fashion by the Australia England series which ended on Feb. 8.

The multi-format series comprised of one Test match, three one-day internationals, and three T20s, the overall winner being determined on a points system, four points being on offer for the Test and two for the shorter-format matches.

As the top-ranked women’s team in all formats, Australia emphasized that status in a convincing win in the first T20 match in Adelaide, while rain allowed only 4.1 overs to be bowled in the second T20 and none in the third. This left Australia with four points and England two, courtesy of one point for the abandoned matches.

Victory for Australia in the Test match at Canberra would have secured an unassailable eight points out of the 14 on offer for the series. In a contest of wildly fluctuating fortunes, the result depended on the very last over, England needing 12 runs to win and Australia one wicket. Commentators and players alike were of the opinion that this was one of the great, dramatic, Test matches, a wonderful advertisement for both the longer format and women’s cricket.

Australia had recovered from a shaky first-innings start to score 337, before England was rescued by its captain, Heather Knight, who scored 168 in a total of 297. After losing the final two sessions of day three to rain, Australia declared its second innings on 216, asking England to score 257 from 48 overs to win in what would have been the biggest fourth innings chase in women’s Test history.

Their top-order batters set about the task with alacrity, reaching 218 in 40 overs, thus requiring 40