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 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 (previously six) points(Formerly six points were awarded for a Test victory, prior to the 2015 series.) Women's Ashes 2015: England v Australia schedule announced, BBC News, 11 November 2014. are awarded for a Test victory (two points to each side in the event of a draw), and two points for a victory in a limited-overs game.
History Heralded in 1931,Cricket Booming Among Women in "Woman's Ways" feature, The Worker (Brisbane), 29 April 1931, at Trove the first women's Test series between England and Australia—the first women's Test series anywhere—was played in 1934–35.English Women's Team Kalgoorlie Miner, 12 March 1947, at Trove 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.Women Cricketers. No Ashes or Tests. Playing for Love of Game The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 Nov 1934, at Trove
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.England retains women's Ashes with nine-wicket Twenty20 win against Australia ABC News (Australia), 29 January 2014. Australia succeeded in regaining the trophy during the 2015 series played in England.Collins Adam. "Women's Ashes: Australia clinches the series with 20-run win over England in second T20 in Hove" ABC News, 29 August 2015
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 ballStarting a tradition: Australia and England to play for Women's Ashes at sportsillustrated.cnn.com, 20 July 1998. Accessed 4 September 2013 carved from yew.
Following the 2001 series, the Australian team took an empty replica home with them and the ball containing the ashes remained in the Lord's museum. However, in the intervening years, one of the two wooden balls went missing. When the ECB and Cricket Australia commissioned a new trophy, the remaining ball became the focal point of the new trophy, inside nine stumps.The Women’s Ashes Trophy Made in Kyneton Kyneton Connect, August 2013 Because of this, it remains unclear if the modern trophy contains those original ashes or not.
In July 2023, to mark the 25th anniversary of the trophy's creation, the MCC unveiled a plaque at Lord's.
Results summary PlayedWon byAustraliaWon byEnglandDrawnRefAll series261169Series in Australia13733Series in England13436
Test (until 2010–11) PlayedWon byAustraliaWon byEnglandDrawnRefAll Tests4511826Tests in Australia226412Test in England235414All series18747Series in Australia9522Series in England9225
Multi-format (from 2013) PlayedWon byAustraliaWon byEnglandDrawnRefAll Matches5531184Matches in Australia271852Matches in England2813132All series8422Series in Australia4211Series in England4211
Series Series decided on Test results: Series Season Played in First match Tests played (sched) Tests won by Australia Tests won by England Tests drawn Series result Holder at series end 1 1934–35 Australia 28 December 1934 3 0 2 1 England England 2 1937 England 12 June 1937 3 1 1 1 Drawn England 3 1948–49 Australia 15 January 1949 3 1 0 2 Australia Australia 4 1951 England 16 June 1951 3 1 1 1 Drawn Australia 5 1957–58 Australia 7 February 1958 3 (4) 0 0 3 Drawn Australia 6 1963 England 15 June 1963 3 0 1 2 England England 7 1968–69 Australia 27 December 1968 3 0 0 3 Drawn England 8 1976 England 19 June 1976 3 0 0 3 Drawn England 9 1984–85 Australia 13 December 1984 5 2 1 2 Australia Australia 10 1987 England 1 August 1987 3 1 0 2 Australia Australia 11 1991–92 Australia 19 February 1992 1 1 0 0 Australia Australia 12 1998 England 6 August 1998 3 0 0 3 Drawn Australia 13 2001 England 24 June 2001 2 2 0 0 Australia Australia 14 2002–03 Australia 15 February 2003 2 1 0 1 Australia Australia 15 2005 England 9 August 2005 2 0 1 1 England England 16 2007–08 Australia 15 February 2008 1 0 1 0 England England 17 2009 England 10 July 2009 1 0 0 1 Drawn England 18 2010–11 Australia 22 January 2011 1 1 0 0 Australia Australia
Series decided on a points system: Series Season Played in First match Test ODIs Twenty20s Australia points England points Series result Holder at series end 19 2013 England 11 August 2013 Drawn Eng 2–1 Aus Eng 3–0 Aus 4 12 England England 20 2013–14 Australia 10 January 2014 Eng Aus 2–1 Eng Aus 2–1 Eng 8 10 England England 21 2015 England 21 July 2015 Aus Eng 1–2 Aus Eng 2–1 Aus 10 6 Australia Australia 22 2017–18 Australia 22 October 2017 Drawn Aus 2–1 Eng Aus 1–2 Eng 8 8 Drawn Australia 23 2019 England 2 July 2019 Drawn Eng 0–3 Aus Eng 1–2 Aus 12 4 Australia Australia 24 2021–22 Australia 20 January 2022 Drawn Aus 3–0 Eng Aus 1–0 Eng(2 no results) 12 4 Australia Australia 25 2023 England 22 June 2023 Aus Eng 2–1 Aus Eng 2–1 Aus 8 8 Drawn Australia 26 2024–25 Australia 12 January 2025 Aus Aus 3–0 Eng Aus 3–0 Eng 16 0 Australia Australia
Player statistics Tests (until 2010–11) Batting Most runs
Runs Player Matches Highest Average 100 50 Span 1024 Jan Brittin 11 167 56.88 3 5 1984–1998 919 Myrtle Maclagan 12 119 43.76 2 6 1934–1951 896 Charlotte Edwards 10 114* 56.00 1 7 1998–2011 874 Karen Rolton 11 209* 58.26 2 4 1998–2009 740 Rachael Heyhoe Flint 9 179 49.33 2 4 1963–1976
Bowling Most wickets
Wickets Player Matches Average Economy 5 10 Span 53 Betty Wilson 9 12.69 1.67 3 1 1949–1958 52 Cathryn Fitzpatrick 9 18.26 2.01 2 0 1998–2005 51 Myrtle Maclagan 12 16.90 1.68 2 0 1934–1951 47 Mary Duggan 11 14.76 1.88 3 0 1949–1963 31 Peggy Antonio 6 13.90 2.61 3 0 1934–1937
Multi-format (from 2013) Player names in bold text are current international players.
Batting (all matches) Most runs
Runs Player Matches Highest Average 100 50 Span Ellyse Perry 213* 2013-2023 Heather Knight 157 2013-2023 1119 Nat Sciver-Brunt 34 129 37.30 2 5 2013–2023 1033 Meg Lanning 25 133* 39.73 2 6 2013–2019 Alyssa Healy 71 0 2013-2023 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
Wickets Player Matches Average Economy 5 Span Ellyse Perry 2013-2023 45 Megan Schutt 28 19.15 3.36 0 2013–2023 41 Jess Jonassen 34 26.46 3.86 0 2013–2023 Katherine Sciver-Brunt 2013-2022 37 Sophie Ecclestone 17 25.08 3.57 2 2017–2023 Updated to include 2023 Women's Ashes however some matches for the 2021-22 Women's Ashes are missing from the records..
References
Further reading