ESPNcricinfo staff
November 11, 2014
A Women's Test will be broadcast live on television for the first time next summer when England defend the Women's Ashes. Every game of the seven-match series will be televised live in the latest boost to the women's game.
The third multi-format series will see the Test match played between the ODI and T20 matches and the points for winning it reduced from six to four to increase the balance of the competition.
Previously the Test was the first match of the series and a significant advantage could be gained with only one of seven matches completed. England retained the Ashes with two matches to play last winter after which Meg Lanning, the Australia batsman, questioned the weighting of the points system.
The series will continue to feature three ODIs and three T20s, all worth two points each, with the ODIs also part of the latest round of the new Women's Championship. All seven matches will be broadcast live by Sky Sports and BBC Radio and the final contest in Cardiff will be a double-header with the men's T20.
Beginning on July 21 at Taunton, the series will travel up the M5 via Bristol and Worcester before the Test during Canterbury Cricket Week, giving Charlotte Edwards the chance to lead England on her home ground. Chelmsford, Hove and Cardiff will host the T20s with no match in the series being played at Lord's in contrast to recent England Women's fixtures.
England won the inaugural multi-format Ashes 12-4 at home in 2013 before mounting a successful defence 10-8 in Australia last winter.
"It has already been a remarkable year of firsts for England women's cricket," Clare Conner, ECB's head of England Women's cricket. "The first crop of 18 players to receive professional contracts, alongside a first standalone commercial sponsorship deal with Kia.
"The level of broadcast coverage that the England women's team now gets is exceptional. It is this level of exposure and support that will ensure that the women's game continues to grow, and that will inspire the next generation of England women's cricketers.
"The points awarded for winning the Test match has been reduced it will be played in the middle of the series for the first time to help improve the balance of the competition and to ensure maximum interest across the three formats throughout the summer."
Women's Ashes 2015 fixtures
July 21, first ODI, Taunton
July 23, second ODI, Bristol
July 26, third ODI, New Road
August 11-14, only Test, Canterbury
August 26, first T20, Chelmsford
August 28, second T20, Hove
August 31, third T20, Cardiff
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