The Women's Ashes


The Women's Ashes is the perpetual trophy in women's international cricket series between England and Australia. The name derives from the historic precedent of the Ashes in male cricket and, until 2013, was similarly decided exclusively on the outcomes of Test matches. Since the Australian tour of England in 2013, the competition is decided on a points system, taking account of One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 International matches as well as Tests. Four points are awarded for a Test victory, and two points for a victory in a limited-overs game., the trophy is held by Australia.

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. The contest was not officially designated "the Women's Ashes" until the 1998 series, when an autographed bat was burned before the first Test at Lord's, some ashes then being placed inside a hollowed-out wooden cricket ball replica to manufacture a trophy. In 2013, a new Women's Ashes trophy was produced.
A total of 22 series have taken place, with 49 Test matches played. 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, 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.
The last Women's Ashes series was contested in England in July 2019, and was won comprehensively by Australia.

Results summary

Test (until 2010–11)

Multi-format (from 2013)

Series

Series decided on Test results:
SeriesSeasonPlayed inFirst matchTests
played 		Tests won
by Australia		Tests won
by England		Tests drawnSeries resultHolder at
series end
11934–35Australia28 December 19343021EnglandEngland
21937England12 June 19373111DrawnEngland
31948–49Australia15 January 19493102AustraliaAustralia
41951England16 June 19513111DrawnAustralia
51957–58Australia7 February 19583 003DrawnAustralia
61963England15 June 19633012EnglandEngland
71968–69Australia27 December 19683003DrawnEngland
81976England19 June 19763003DrawnEngland
91984–85Australia13 December 19845212AustraliaAustralia
101987England1 August 19873102AustraliaAustralia
111991–92Australia19 February 19921100AustraliaAustralia
121998England6 August 19983003DrawnAustralia
132001England24 June 20012200AustraliaAustralia
142002–03Australia15 February 20032101AustraliaAustralia
152005England9 August 20052011EnglandEngland
162007–08Australia15 February 20081010EnglandEngland
172009England10 July 20091001DrawnEngland
182010–11Australia22 January 20111100AustraliaAustralia

Series decided on a points system:
SeriesSeasonPlayed inFirst matchTests
played		Tests won
by Australia		Tests won
by England		Tests drawnODIsTwenty20sAustralia
points		England
points		Series resultHolder at
series end
192013England11 August 20131001Eng 2–1 AusEng 3–0 Aus412EnglandEngland
202013–14Australia10 January 20141010Aus 2–1 EngAus 2–1 Eng810EnglandEngland
212015England21 July 20151100Eng 1–2 AusEng 2–1 Aus106AustraliaAustralia
222017–18Australia22 October 20171001Aus 2–1 EngAus 1–2 Eng88DrawnAustralia
232019England2 July 20191001Eng 0–3 AusEng 1–2 Aus124AustraliaAustralia

Player statistics

Tests (until 2010–11)

Batting

;Most runs
PlayerTeamSpanMatchesRunsAverageHighest10050
Jan Brittin1984–199811102456.8816735
Myrtle Maclagan1934–19511291943.7611926
Charlotte Edwards1998–20111089656.00114*17
Karen Rolton1998–20091187458.26209*24
Rachael Heyhoe-Flint1963–1976974049.3317924

Bowling

;Most wickets
PlayerTeamSpanMatchesWicketsRunsAverageBBIEconomy510
Betty Wilson1949–195895367312.697/71.6731
Cathryn Fitzpatrick1998–200595295018.265/292.0120
Myrtle Maclagan1934–1951125186216.907/101.6820
Mary Duggan1949–1963114769414.767/61.8830
Peggy Antonio1934–193763143113.906/492.6130

Multi-format (from 2013)

Batting (all matches)

;Most runs
PlayerTeamMatchesRunsAverageHighest10050
Ellyse Perry35142559.38213*29
Meg Lanning28112738.86133*27
Heather Knight3297730.5315717
Natalie Sciver3382630.598804
Sarah Taylor3182225.697707

Updated as per end of the 2019 Women's Ashes.

Bowling (all matches)

;Most wickets
PlayerTeamMatchesWicketsRunsAverageBBI5
Ellyse Perry3555123222.407/223
Megan Schutt2543129717.374/220
Jess Jonassen313797526.354/380
Anya Shrubsole2836124234.504/110
Katherine Brunt2835105630.173/210

Updated as per end of the 2019 Women's Ashes.