England scrap planned women's Test in the Caribbean to prepare for the Ashes
England Women will now play only three T20 internationals and three one-day internationals against West Indies in 2027, leaving the Windies women still without a Test since 2004.
LONDON, United Kingdom. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has cancelled the one-off Test that England Women were due to play against West Indies Women during their Caribbean tour in 2027.
The match had been scheduled for April. England will now play just three T20 internationals and three one-day internationals on the tour.
The ECB has instead chosen to prepare for the Women's Ashes with a series of red-ball matches in the UK. Next summer's Test against Australia, worth four points in the multi-format series, will be held at Headingley from 24 to 27 June.
England will build up to it with four red-ball matches: a three-day fixture against Australia A and three intra-squad "best v best" games. A dedicated red-ball training camp will also be held in Bangalore in January.
England Women have played only one Test, a heavy defeat by India at Lord's, since losing to Australia by an innings in Melbourne in January 2025.
"A 10-day warm-weather red-ball camp in India followed by four further matches in English conditions will provide Charlotte Edwards and her team with the appropriate game time to be ready for that challenge," said ECB chief executive Richard Gould.
He said the "best versus best" matches would also allow the board to assess strength in depth and give more players competitive multi-day cricket.
West Indies have not played a women's Test since 2004, which was their only red-ball international in 47 years.
Imlach leads 16 Guyanese cricketers to four-week Lahore Qalandars camp in Pakistan
Lawrence century at Warner Park seals one-day series for England Lions against West Indies A
Warrican breaks into world's top 20 Test bowlers after Bangladesh series
Nevis sprinter Khylinn Prentice becomes third national athlete to reach a final in Dakar