Women's Test Cricket Explained: Pink Ball Tests, England vs Australia Ashes, Ellyse Perry 213 Not Out
Women's Test cricket — the oldest format of the women's game, though far less frequently played than Women's ODIs and T20Is. The Women's Ashes multi-format series (Tests, ODIs, T20Is), Ellyse Perry's 213 not out (the highest Women's Test score by an Australian), and why Women's Test cricket is making a comeback with day-night Tests and ICC investment. England vs Australia dominate women's Test history.
Women's Test cricket is the oldest form of women's cricket — the first Women's Test was played between England and Australia in Brisbane in December 1934 (Australia won). Despite its heritage, Women's Test cricket has been played rarely compared to the men's game — in the 2010s, some women's Test players went years without playing a Test match. The ICC and major cricket boards have invested in reviving Women's Test cricket since 2021, with day-night Tests (pink ball) and multi-format Ashes series providing the framework.
Women's Ashes Multi-Format Series
Women's Ashes structure: (1) Multi-format points system: the modern Women's Ashes (used since 2013) uses a combined points system across all three formats. Each ODI is worth 2 points (winning team), each T20I is worth 1 point, and the one Test match is worth 4 points (win) or 2 points (draw). This means the Test match carries the most weight of any single fixture — a Test win can be decisive for the series; (2) The 4-points significance: because the Test carries 4 points, a team that wins the Test can frequently hold or win the series even after losing several T20Is. Australia and England often hold tense contests where T20I and ODI results set up the Test match as the decisive fixture; (3) Historical dominance: Australia have dominated the Women's Ashes in the modern era — winning the series multiple times consecutively from 2015 to 2023. Australia's depth of talent (Ellyse Perry, Alyssa Healy, Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning, Annabel Sutherland) has been consistently superior to England's women's team; (4) England's recent challenge: from 2022-24, England Women (under new coaching from Jon Lewis, and captain Heather Knight) have been competitive in T20Is. The gap between Australia and England has narrowed, though Australia remain dominant.
Ellyse Perry: The Greatest Women's Cricketer
Ellyse Perry's Test career: (1) Perry (born November 3, 1990, Wahroonga, NSW) is considered the greatest women's cricketer since Belinda Clark — a genuine all-rounder (right-arm medium-fast bowler + top-order batswoman). She has played for Australia in all three formats across a career from 2007 to present; (2) The 213 not out: Perry scored 213 not out vs England Women at North Sydney Oval (January 2017, Women's Ashes Test) — the 2nd highest score in Women's Test history (the record is Kiran Baluch's 242 for Pakistan vs West Indies, 2004). Perry's 213 came in 467 balls off 21.5 hours — a marathon innings that fundamentally won the Test match for Australia; (3) Perry's Test bowling: in Women's Tests, Perry has also taken 5+ wicket hauls — she is a genuine bowling threat as well as a dominant batswoman, making her the closest equivalent of a male all-rounder like Kapil Dev or Imran Khan in the women's game; (4) ICC recognition: Perry has won the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year multiple times. She was named in the ICC Women's T20I team of the decade (2010s). Her career across all formats (600+ Women's ODI runs at 50+ average, 100+ Women's ODI wickets) places her among the sport's elite.
Women's Test Cricket Records
Key Women's Test records: (1) Highest individual score: Kiran Baluch (Pakistan) — 242 vs West Indies, Karachi, 2003-04. This remains the Women's Test record; (2) Most Women's Test runs: Janette Brittin (England) — 1,935 runs in 27 Tests (1979-1998). The record for the most Women's Test runs; (3) Most Women's Test wickets: Mary Duggan (England) — 77 wickets in 17 Tests (1949-1963). The record for most Women's Test wickets; (4) Most Women's Tests: Rachael Heyhoe Flint (England) — captained England Women across most of their 1960s-1970s period. She was the ICC's first female director and a pioneer in the professional development of women's cricket; (5) Modern era leaders: in the current era (2010-2024), Ellyse Perry (Australia) has accumulated the most impressive Women's Test statistics. Smriti Mandhana (India) has been India's most prominent modern Women's Test batswoman.
Frequently asked questions
When was the first Women's Test match played?
The first Women's Test match was played in Brisbane between England Women and Australia Women in December 1934 — Australia won. Women's Test cricket pre-dates the formation of the International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC, 1958) and the ICC Women's sub-committee. Despite this heritage, Women's Test cricket has been played rarely — there were periods in the 1990s and 2000s when fewer than 2 Women's Tests were played per year globally. The ICC's investment in the Women's game since 2015 (women's Future Tours Programme, day-night Tests, multi-format Ashes) has increased the frequency of Women's Tests.
Who has scored the most runs in Women's Test cricket?
Janette Brittin (England Women) has scored the most career runs in Women's Test cricket: 1,935 runs in 27 Tests (1979-1998) at an average of 49.61. She scored 5 Women's Test centuries. The record for the highest individual score in Women's Tests is held by Kiran Baluch (Pakistan) — 242 vs West Indies Women in Karachi in 2003-04. Ellyse Perry (Australia) scored 213 not out vs England Women in January 2017 — the 2nd highest score by an Australian woman in Tests. In the modern era, Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, and Smriti Mandhana are the most prominent Women's Test batswomen.
How does the Women's Ashes points system work?
The Women's Ashes multi-format series (England vs Australia) uses a combined points system: each of the 3 T20Is is worth 1 point per win (maximum 3 points per team from T20Is); each of the 3 ODIs is worth 2 points per win (maximum 6 points per team from ODIs); the one Test match is worth 4 points for a win or 2 points each for a draw (maximum 4 points per team from the Test). Maximum series points: 13 per team. The Test's 4-point value makes it the most important single fixture — a team that wins the Test often holds or wins the series regardless of T20I performance. If no team reaches the required points threshold, the series result is declared drawn (the Ashes are retained by the holder).