The Women's Ashes: History, Format, and the Stories Behind the Series
A complete guide to the Women's Ashes between England and Australia — its history since 1934, the multi-format points system, and the key players and series that shaped women's cricket.
Origins of the Women's Ashes
The Women's Ashes began in 1934–35, when an Australian women's team toured England for the first time. The first Test match was played at Brisbane in December 1934, with England winning the series. Like the men's Ashes, the series takes its name from the original 1882 mythology — though the women's competition has its own physical ashes, reputedly of a ball used in a 1934 match. England have played the series at home and in Australia alternately, with the naming convention the same as the men's competition: the team that wins the series either wins or retains the ashes depending on who held them coming in.
The Multi-Format Points System
In 2013, the Women's Ashes adopted a multi-format points system that fundamentally changed how the series is contested and followed. Rather than a single Test match or one-day series, the competition now consists of one Test match, three T20I matches, and three ODI matches. Points are awarded: 4 points for winning the Test, 2 for each T20I win, 2 for each ODI win, and 1 point to each side for a drawn Test. A total of 24 points are available. This system gives each match higher stakes than before — a team that wins the T20I series has already built a points lead going into the Test. The format has generated more sustained public interest in the women's competition and multiple series have been decided only in the final match.
Australia's Dominance
Australia dominate the Women's Ashes historically more thoroughly than in the men's game. Australia's women have won 16 series to England's 7, with several drawn. From 1998 to 2015, Australia won every Women's Ashes series — a run of 8 consecutive series. This dominance reflected Australia's sustained investment in women's cricket: the WBBL (Women's Big Bash League, founded 2015) and CA's professionalism contract structure gave Australian women's players an elite development environment unavailable elsewhere. Ellyse Perry, Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy, and Beth Mooney — the core of Australia's 2015–2025 dominance — were all developed through this professional structure.
England's Modern Revival
England women's cricket modernised significantly from the mid-2010s, particularly after the ECB introduced women's central contracts in 2014. Players like Nat Sciver-Brunt (all-rounder), Tammy Beaumont (opener), and Sophie Ecclestone (spinner) developed into world-class performers within a professional structure. England won the 2013–14 Women's Ashes (the first series under the multi-format system) in Australia, a historic victory. The 2023 Women's Ashes in England went to the final ODI at Lord's, where Australia won to retain the ashes 12–10 on points. The closeness of modern Women's Ashes series has elevated the competition to genuine must-watch cricket, particularly in England where Sky Sports and Channel 4 now provide significant coverage.
Key Players in Women's Ashes History
Australia's most celebrated Women's Ashes performers include Betty Wilson (player of the 1950s–60s; average of 57.46 with bat and 11.80 with ball in Tests — arguably the most complete cricketer of her era, men's or women's), Jan Brittin (England's most consistent batter before the professional era, playing from 1979 to 1998), and Cathryn Fitzpatrick (Australia's fast bowler of the 1990s who brought genuine pace to women's cricket). In the modern era, Ellyse Perry — 7000+ international runs and 300+ international wickets — is women's cricket's all-time greatest all-rounder. England's Charlotte Edwards captained England across four Women's Ashes, winning in 2005 and 2013.
The Future of Women's Ashes
The Women's Ashes has transformed in profile. The 2023 series sold out major venues including Edgbaston, with a record 16,000 crowd for the Lord's ODI final. The Hundred women's competition (running alongside the men's tournament) has further elevated women's cricket's visibility in England. Australia's WBBL continues to attract the world's best women's players. The challenge for the Women's Ashes going forward is scheduling: with more women's international series, bilateral Ashes tours need to balance the expanded calendar. The ICC's commitment to expanding the women's game — including a Women's IPL launched in 2023, broadcasting deals, and higher prize money — suggests the Women's Ashes will grow further in profile over the next decade.