Women's Ashes: Players call for inclusion of three Tests
What's the story
Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner and England batter Tammy Beaumont have spoken in favor of having three Test matches in future Women's Ashes series.
The upcoming series will have a four-day, floodlit match at the MCG as its final installment.
Notably, this is the first time since 2013 that the Test has been scheduled at the end of an Ashes series.
Player perspective
Gardner advocates for more Test cricket in Women's Ashes
Gardner, who took eight wickets for 66 runs in the last Ashes Test, has been a vocal advocate for adding three Tests to the current three ODIs and T20Is.
She admitted it could be difficult, saying, "From [the] workload [point of view], it would be quite tough with how busy our summers are."
However, she personally wants to play more Tests against England.
Support
Beaumont supports expansion of Women's Ashes format
Beaumont, who scored a double-century in the 2023 Test, echoed Gardner's sentiments.
She believes an expanded format would enhance the narratives surrounding a series.
"Absolutely, I completely agree with Ash," Beaumont said. "I'd love to see three, three, three."
She emphasized the importance of these storylines in Test cricket and expressed her eagerness to don the whites more often.
Schedule challenges
Future Tours Programme and Women's Ashes
The Future Tours Programme for the next four years has already been finalized.
While it sees a return to Test cricket for the West Indies, adding more matches to the Ashes series doesn't seem possible due to scheduling constraints.
Outgoing Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley acknowledged these challenges, saying "Space in the calendar is a real challenge."
He wished more countries played multi-format series regularly.
Series significance
Gardner emphasizes importance of Women's Ashes series
Gardner emphasized the significance of the Ashes series, placing it second only to the World Cup.
Despite their success in recent years, she was disappointed at not drawing bigger crowds.
"The Ashes in general is such a big series, pretty much just behind the World Cup for us in my opinion," Gardner said.
She hopes this year's series will regain some momentum lost to COVID-19 disruptions.