The Women's Ashes

History

Heralded in 1931, the first women's Test series between England and Australia—the first women's Test series anywhere—was played in 1934–35. At that time, according to the English captain, Betty Archdale, women played only "for love of the game" and did not wish to be associated with the male concepts of Tests and Ashes.

A total of 24 series have taken place, with 51 Test matches played (and one scheduled Test abandoned). The length of series has varied between one and five Tests. Series have been played biennially since 2001, with only one or two tests played in a series. Since the 2013 series, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 International matches have counted, as well as Tests, toward the trophy result. , a Test victory is worth four points (two to each side for a draw), and two points are awarded for victory in a limited-overs match.

In February 2007, England Women travelled to Australia to defend the Women's Ashes, doing so successfully by winning the one-off Test in Bowral by six wickets. In July 2009, England retained the Women's Ashes after the one-off test at Worcester ended in a draw. In January 2011 Australia was victorious, winning a one-off test in Sydney. England regained the trophy on the new points system in August 2013, and successfully defended it in a series played in Australia in January–February 2014. Australia succeeded in regaining the trophy during the 2015 series played in England.

Since that series, Australia has retained the trophy in five consecutive series—2017–18, 2019, 2021–22, 2023 and 2024–25—making them the current holder of the trophy.

Trophy

Before the ODI series in July 1998, the president of the Women's Cricket Association, Norma Izard devised a way for the women to have a trophy of their own, like the Ashes urn. The England and Australia players both signed a miniature cricket bat which was burned at Lord's in a wok alongside a copy of the Women's Cricket Association (WCA) constitution and rulebook, as the WCA had voted 4 months earlier to merge with England and Wales Cricket Board. Izard had commissioned a trophy to hold them: a wooden cricket ball carved from yew.

In July 2023, to mark the 25th anniversary of the trophy's creation, the MCC unveiled a plaque at Lord's.

Results summary

Test (until 2010–11)

Multi-format (from 2013)

Series

Series decided on Test results:

Series decided on a points system:

Player statistics

Tests (until 2010–11)

Batting

;Most runs

Bowling

;Most wickets Format for BBI: . For the middle number, the first two numbers are the number of wickets (starting with 0 when less than 10). The final 3 are the number of runs conceded subtracted from 100. This gives a number that will sort by the highest number of wickets and the lowest number of runs at the same time.

Multi-format (from 2013)

Player names in bold text are current international players.

Batting (all matches)

;Most runs

Updated to include 2023 Women's Ashes, however some matches for the 2021-22 Women's Ashes are missing from the records.

Bowling (all matches)

;Most wickets Format for BBI: . For the middle number, the first two numbers are the number of wickets (starting with 0 when less than 10). The final 3 are the number of runs conceded subtracted from 100. This gives a number that will sort by the highest number of wickets and the lowest number of runs at the same time.

Updated to include 2023 Women's Ashes however some matches for the 2021-22 Women's Ashes are missing from the records..

References

References

1. (Formerly six points were awarded for a Test victory, prior to the [[Australian women's cricket team in England in 2015. 2015 series]].) [https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cricket/30000859 Women's Ashes 2015: England v Australia schedule announced], BBC News, 11 November 2014.
2. Trove]]
3. [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article95593877 English Women's Team] ''[[Kalgoorlie Miner]]'', 12 March 1947, at [[National Library of Australia#Trove. Trove]]
4. [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17127779 Women Cricketers. No Ashes or Tests. Playing for Love of Game] ''[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]'', 21 Nov 1934, at [[National Library of Australia#Trove. Trove]]
5. [http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-29/england-retains-women27s-ashes-with-t20-win/5225974 England retains women's Ashes with nine-wicket Twenty20 win against Australia] [[ABC News (Australia)]], 29 January 2014.
6. Collins Adam. "[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-29/southern-stars-clinch-the-womens-ashes-with-t20-win-in-hove/6734318 Women's Ashes: Australia clinches the series with 20-run win over England in second T20 in Hove]" [[ABC News (Australia). ABC News]], 29 August 2015
7. "Aussies remain unbeaten, clinch Ashes series win as Test squad named".
8. "Let there be Ashes".
9. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110603231153/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/cricket/news/1998/07/20/womens_ashes/ Starting a tradition: Australia and England to play for Women's Ashes] at sportsillustrated.cnn.com, 20 July 1998. Accessed 4 September 2013
10. [http://www.kyneton.org.au/docs/residents/Kyneton%20Connect%20Publication%20Aug%202013%202.pdf The Women’s Ashes Trophy Made in Kyneton] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-11-13 ''[[Kyneton Connect]]'', August 2013)
11. (2023-07-07). "MCC celebrate creation of Women's Ashes at Lord's ahead of England v Australia T20 clash {{!}} Lord's".
12. "Records – Women's Ashes –All Matches- Team Records". ESPNcricinfo.
13. "Statsguru Records – Women's Ashes from 2013 – Team Records". ESPNcricinfo.
14. "Records – Women's Ashes until 2011 – Team Records". ESPNcricinfo.
15. "Records – Women's Ashes –All Matches- Team Records". ESPNcricinfo.
16. "Records – Women's Ashes –All Matches in Australia- Team Records". ESPNcricinfo.
17. "Records – Women's Ashes –All Matches in Australia- Team Records". ESPNcricinfo.
18. "Records – Women's Ashes until 2011 – Most runs". ESPNcricinfo.
19. "Records – Women's Ashes until 2011 – Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo.
20. "Records / Women's Ashes/ All matches / Most runs". ESPNcricinfo.
21. "Records / Women's Ashes/ All matches / Most wickets". ESPNcricinfo.