Ashes rivals Ashleigh Gardner and Tammy Beaumont have called for more Test cricket to be played in future series.
England opener Beaumont and Australian all-rounder Gardner are set to face each other in a multi-format women’s series starting with the first ODI in Sydney this weekend, but have come together to argue for an increase in Test matches.
The current schedule features three 50-over games, three T20s and a single long match, this time to be staged as a day-night match at the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
But there was a feeling in both dressing rooms that the program would become more exciting later in the evening.
“Personally, I want to see three, three, three. I would like to play more Test cricket against England,” said Gardner.
“Playing one Test sometimes feels a bit new. We have some good white-ball performances against other teams in England and around the world, but the way our team is playing will make it a really great Test series.”
Beaumont, who hit an England record 208 in the last meeting between the two sides in 2023, echoed his opponent’s sentiments.
reschedule
- January 11 – First ODI, Sydney
- January 13 – Second ODI, Melbourne
- January 16 – 3rd ODI, Hobart
- January 20 – First T20, Sydney
- January 23 – 2nd T20, Canberra
- 25 January – 3rd T20, Adelaide
- 30 January – 2 February – Only Test, Melbourne
“I completely agree with Ash. “I want to see three, three, three,” he said.
“The best thing about The Ashes is the narrative, the competition and the way it builds over time. What I love about the game as an opening batsman is the battle of scoring runs against the opening bowler. There’s a lot more that builds in Test cricket.”
In the current format, additional weighting is applied where each team takes two points for a win in a white-ball match, while four points are awarded for a single Test to conclude the series.
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