The Women's Ashes series begins with a five-day Test match at Trent Bridge. Find out start times, team news, weather forecast, odds, TV and streaming information and more...
A five-day Test match between England and Australia as part of the 2023 Women's Ashes.
Play is scheduled to begin at 11am GMT on Thursday, June 22.
The Test match will be held at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
Unlike the Men's Ashes, this is a multi-format series, consisting of one Test, three ODIs and three T20Is.
Points are awarded for each victory, with four points available in the Test match and two points per white-ball win. If the Test match ends in a draw, each team is awarded two points. The team with the most points at the end of the series wins the Ashes.
The Trent Bridge Test is the first match of this year's Women's Ashes, providing both sides with the opportunity to grab an early 4-0 lead.
Australia are the favourites to win the Test [Getty Images]
Women's Test matches are few and far between and due to a combination of rain and matches typically only being allotted four days, the past three meetings between these two sides have ended in a draw.
England haven't won a Test match since January 2014 – they defeated Australia by 61 runs in Perth and went on to win the Women's Ashes, losing to India (August 2014) and Australia (August 2015) before embarking on a run of five consecutive draws.
Australia, meanwhile, haven't played a Test match since the 2022 Women's Ashes in Canberra. They have drawn their past four red-ball internationals while their most recent win came against England in Canterbury in 2015.
However, the two sides were involved in three-day warm-up matches ahead of their meeting at Trent Bridge.
England and Australia A played out a draw at Derby, with Sophie Ecclestone taking a five-for and monster centuries for England's Tammy Beaumont (200) and Australia's Jess Jonassen (173 not out). Australia and England A, meanwhile, drew at Leicester, with Beth Mooney (107), Annabel Sutherland (116) and Kim Garth (4 for 69) among those to impress.
Australia have dominated the Women's Ashes, winning three of the past four series and keeping possession of the urn since 2015.
England are without Katherine Sciver-Brunt, who announced her retirement from international cricket earlier in 2023. The 37-year-old, who made her debut back in 2004, picked up 51 wickets at 21.52 in 14 Tests for England. Alice Capsey and Alice Davidson-Richards, meanwhile, have been released to play for England A.
Kate Cross has recovered from a parasitic infection, describing herself as "fit and firing", and despite only having six Test appearances to her name, she is the most experienced pacer. Lauren Bell and debutant quick Lauren Filer are the other pace threats while Ecclestone will carry the burden of spin.
Heather Knight is once again set to captain England, with star allrounder Nat Sciver-Brunt as her deputy.
As for Australia, they are without Meg Lanning (medical reasons), with Alyssa Healy stepping in as skipper. Tahlia McGrath has been appointed vice-captain.
Three players – Kim Garth, Grace Harris, and Phoebe Litchfield – are still waiting for their Test debut but there is no shortage of experience in Australia's squad, with the likes of Ellyse Perry – who has over 750 runs and 37 wickets to her name in Test cricket, Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner at their disposal.
England squad: Heather Knight (captain), Nat Sciver-Brunt (vice-captain), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Kate Cross, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Dani Gibson, Amy Jones, Emma Lamb, Issy Wong, Danni Wyatt
Australia: Meg Lanning (captain), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham
Tammy Beaumont of England [Getty Images]
There could be scattered showers on Thursday afternoon but the Test should be otherwise uninterrupted. Temperatures are expected to hover in the low to mid-twenties.
Australia are the favourites with odds of 4/5 while England are available at 19/4. A draw is priced at 5/2.
The Test match will be live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket while ball-by-ball commentary will be available on Test Match Special. Highlights will also be available on the BBC2 from 7pm at the end of each day's play.
In Australia, it will be live on Fox Cricket as well as available to stream on Kayo and 9 Now.
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