Women's Test Cricket: Origins and Evolution of the Longest Format
Understanding how women's Test cricket began in 1934 and how the format has evolved while remaining the pinnacle of the women's game.
Women's Test cricket predates many aspects of the modern game, with the first women's Test match played in December 1934. This format carries the same gravitas in the women's game as it does for men, representing the ultimate test of a cricketer's skill, temperament, and endurance across multiple days of play.
The First Women's Test Match
The inaugural women's Test match took place in Brisbane, Australia, from 28 to 31 December 1934, between England and Australia. England won by nine wickets in a match that established the template for women's Test cricket. Betty Snowball of England scored the first women's Test century, making 189 in the second Test of the same series, a record that stood for decades.
The Women's Ashes
The Women's Ashes rivalry between England and Australia is the oldest and most celebrated series in women's cricket. Like its men's counterpart, it carries enormous prestige and is now contested as a multi-format series combining Tests, ODIs, and T20Is under a points system. The modern Women's Ashes series awards bonus points for Test matches, recognising their special status within the series.
Challenges and Infrequency
One of the significant challenges facing women's Test cricket is that it is played very infrequently compared to the men's game. For many years, women's Tests were multi-day events played only on major tours, meaning some top players went their entire careers without playing a Test match. The ICC has worked to increase the number of women's Tests played annually, recognising their importance for developing the skills needed at the highest level.
Record Performances
Women's Test cricket has produced exceptional individual performances over the decades. England's Enid Bakewell averaged over 59 with the bat in Test cricket, while Australia's Betty Wilson took a hat-trick and scored a century in the same Test in 1958 — a feat unprecedented in men's Test cricket. Modern players like Ellyse Perry of Australia have revitalised interest in women's Test cricket through consistently outstanding performances.
Frequently asked questions
When was the first women's Test cricket match played?
The first women's Test match was played in Brisbane, Australia, from 28 to 31 December 1934, between England and Australia. England won by nine wickets.
How does the Women's Ashes points system work?
The Women's Ashes uses a multi-format points system where the Test match is worth up to 12 points (4 per day's play), while each ODI and T20I is worth 2 points each. This encourages competitive Test cricket by giving it greater weight than the shorter formats.