Sydney [Australia], January 8 (ANI): Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner said on Wednesday that the women’s Ashes series should be extended to nine matches, with three Tests, ODIs and T20Is each, reportes Fox Sports Australia.
The women’s Ashes one-off Test will take place at January 30 onwards at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground and will mark the conclusion of the multi-format series with the first ODI of three from January 12 and the first T20I of three from January 20 onwards.
Speaking to reporters at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Wednesday, Gardner said that even though she would love more Tests against England and women’s Ashes get extended to nine games, it would be difficult and hectic.
“That is a bit of a hot topic at the moment. Everyone is going to have their own individual point of view on that,” Gardner said as quoted by Fox Sports.
“It would be quite tough just with how busy our summers are. But personally, I would love to see three, three, three.”
“It is obviously going to make the tours a lot longer. I am not sure where you’re going to fit it in, knowing that we obviously have to play overseas competitions as well. It would be interesting to see over the next four to five years where that gets to.”
“I would love to play more Test cricket against England. Playing the one Test feels like a bit of a novelty sometimes. The way that our two teams match up, it would be a really cool Test series to see who would come out on top for that. But I do not think that is probably going to change anytime soon,” she concluded.
England opener Tammy Beaumont, the Three Lions’ double-century scorer during the 2023 women’s Ashes Test, also supported Gardner, saying that the best thing about the Ashes is “narrative”.
“I completely agree with Ash … I would love to see it (a bigger women’s Ashes),” Beaumont said.
“The best thing about the Ashes is the narrative, the rivalry, how it builds over time. You saw in the India and Australia men’s Test series, that the narratives build in a five-match series, even in a three-match series,” she added.
Beaumont also said that as an opener, she likes the battle of going against the opening bowler.
The last women’s Ashes in 2023 ended in a draw, with both teams earning eight points each. While Australia won the one-off Test, England won both white-ball series by 2-1.
Gardner was the ‘Player of the Match’ in the Test, with 40 runs and 12 wickets taken in the match, including an eight-wicket haul in the second innings while defending 268 runs for her side. (ANI)
Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed of ANI; only the image & headline may have been reworked by News Services Division of World News Network Inc Ltd and Palghar News and Pune News and World News
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