Women's Ashes Explained: The Most Prestigious Bilateral Series in Women's Cricket
A complete guide to the Women's Ashes — how England Women and Australia Women contest the most prestigious series in women's cricket, how the multi-format points system works, and why the 2005 Women's Ashes remains one of the most dramatic cricket stories ever told.
The Women's Ashes is the bilateral cricket series between England Women and Australia Women — the most prestigious series in women's cricket, contested across three formats (T20Is, ODIs, and a Test match) over several weeks. Like the men's Ashes, the Women's Ashes carries unique historical weight: the two most successful nations in women's cricket history competing in a multi-format series, with each match awarding points toward the overall Ashes total.
Multi-Format Points System
The Women's Ashes is not a knockout series — it uses a points accumulation system across all formats. T20I matches award two points for a win, one for a tie or no-result. ODI matches award two points for a win, one for a tie or no-result. The Test match awards four points for a win, two for a draw, zero for a loss. The team that accumulates the most points across all formats wins the Ashes. This multi-format system means a team can win individual format series but still lose the overall Ashes, and every match in every format contributes directly to the final result.
The Women's Ashes Urn
Like the men's Ashes, the Women's Ashes has a symbolic urn that is retained by the holder — the team that last won the Ashes outright. If the series is drawn overall (equal points), the holder retains the urn. The urn's holder going into a series has a slight advantage: they need only draw the series to keep it, while the challenger must win outright to claim it. Australia Women have held the Women's Ashes urn for extended periods, reflecting their sustained dominance of the series.
2005 Women's Ashes
The 2005 Women's Ashes in England was one of the most dramatic bilateral cricket series ever played — combining high-quality cricket, close results, and decisive moments across all three formats. England Women's 2005 Ashes victory (which coincided with the famous men's 2005 Ashes, also won by England) is remembered as one of English cricket's greatest summers. Key moments from the women's series — including individual batting and bowling performances — are still referenced when the Women's Ashes is discussed.
Recent Dominance by Australia Women
Australia Women have dominated the Women's Ashes in the modern era — winning multiple consecutive series as their combination of elite WBBL preparation, ICC tournament success, and individual player quality has made them significantly stronger than England Women across all three formats. England Women's challenge in modern Women's Ashes series is to overcome the structural advantage that Australia Women's domestic infrastructure provides: WBBL competition is more consistently demanding than The Hundred or county cricket for England Women's players.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Women's Ashes points system work?
T20I wins: 2 points each. ODI wins: 2 points each. Test win: 4 points; draw: 2 points. The team that accumulates the most points across all three formats wins the Women's Ashes. The urn is retained by the holder unless the challenger wins more points outright.
Which team has dominated the Women's Ashes in recent years?
Australia Women — who have won multiple consecutive Women's Ashes series in the modern era. Their dominance reflects the quality of their WBBL preparation, ICC tournament success, and the individual quality of their playing squad across all three formats.
When did the Women's Ashes begin?
The first Women's Test between England and Australia was played in 1934, though the formal 'Women's Ashes' name and multi-format points structure is a more modern development. The rivalry between England Women and Australia Women stretches back almost a century, making it the deepest bilateral rivalry in women's cricket.