Australia women will be locking horns against their England counterparts in yet another multi-format Ashes series with the Melbourne Cricket Ground set to host a historic Test between the two rivals. Cricket Australia on Tuesday announced the schedule for the women's Ashes alongside the schedule for their series of white-ball games against New Zealand and India.
The MCG will host a historic day and night Test between Australia and England women and it will be the maiden pink-ball fixture at the iconic venue. The four-day match which will take place from January 30 to February 2, will also mark the 90th anniversary of the first women's Test played in December 1934. The game holds another significance as Australia women will be playing their first Test match at The 'G since 1949.
Australian women will take on their English counterparts in a multi-format Ashes and it will be the first time that the Women's Ashes will be played in a separate season to the men's competition since the point-based system has come into existence.
The series will begin with three ODIs starting from January 12, followed by a T20I series which will start from January 20. The Test will begin 10 days later. "This is one of the most highly anticipated summers of cricket in memory, with the eyes of the cricket world focused on the extended Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series and the multi-format Women’s Ashes," Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said on the Australian summer.
Perry calls MCG Test 'next evolution' for women's cricket
Meanwhile, Australian veteran Ellyse Perry has termed the MCG Test as the next evolution for the women's game. "It's certainly an amazing opportunity for the team to play at such an iconic Australian cricket venue and in such a such a big occasion like an Ashes series," Perry told reporters on Tuesday.
"We all saw that fixture and thought 'what an amazing opportunity' and how much possibility that also carries in terms of what it could do for the game. I think that's the aspiration for everyone involved, to start to regularly play at the best stadiums around the country and most importantly have really good crowds attend those matches.
"That's the next evolution for women's cricket (and) more globally as well for women's sport, we're starting to see that happen more and more often across the board," she added.
