Ashes draw prompts five-day Test call

Australia captain Rachael Haynes is confident there would have been a result in the historic day-night Women's Ashes Test if the match had gone into a fifth day.

As it stands, the inaugural twilight Ashes Test was a draw, the teams unable to be split over four attritional days at North Sydney Oval.

Needing to bat out the final day to keep the series alive, England survived with two wickets down as skipper Heather Knight and second drop Georgia Elwiss held fort for almost 63 overs as Australia tried everything to conjure a breakthrough without success.

The match was called off an hour before the scheduled finish, and both sides were awarded two points to see England move to four points and Australia jump to six, needing just one win in the T20 series – which starts on Friday – to retain the Women's Ashes.

However, with a minimum 100 overs bowled on each day, Haynes said there would have been an outcome had the match concluded on Monday.

"I think we would have got a result if there was a fifth day in this Test match," Haynes said after play yesterday.

"Despite the fact that the wicket was flat, my feeling is we would have got a result in this match if there was a fifth day.

"In some respects it would be nice to extend it."

Unlike men's Tests that run five days – although some governing bodies are pushing for a reduction in playing time – women's Test matches last four days, but Knight says it's the pitch is the pivotal aspect in deciding a result.

Across the four days, only 21 wickets were taken: seven each on day one and two, five on day three and just the two on Sunday.

The benign pitch gave very little assistance to the bowlers, if any, and that's where women's Test cricket can be improved.

"Pitches are really important for any format of women's cricket, particularly Test cricket," Knight said.

"The pink ball goes very soft quickly on an abrasive surface.

"Whether there's potential to leave a little bit more grass on it (the pitch) that would make it easier to take 20 wickets, which is what you want for good Test match cricket.

"There was obviously times in the game where we had to dig in and it was hard to accelerate the run rate and hard to take wickets."

Haynes said she knew the match was destined for a draw after Knight and Elwiss batted through the second session to almost reel in Australia's 168-run first-innings lead on a placed pitch.

"It was a little bit frustrating," Haynes said when asked about the wicket.

"I felt for our bowling group because they were bowling good areas.

"It just wasn't quite doing anything and particularly later on in a Test you'd expect maybe a bit of variable bounce and those sort of things at the very least.

"That's the way it goes.  It was the same for both teams and we had the rub of the green yesterday."

Despite the outcome, Haynes said she thought the historic day-night Test played in front of more than 12,000 fans was "fantastic" and expects larger audiences in the T20I leg of the multi-format series.

"Being a player out there and having the crowd support I thought it was really well run and put together by Cricket Australia, they did a really great job," Haynes said.

"From a player's perspective it was a great experience and a couple of the girls said it was one of the highlights of their careers to be able to do that.

"I think we'll see bigger and bigger crowds build for the T20 format, which is really exciting.

"It's been really great to be part of."

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes

Australia lead England 6-4

Australia squad (ODI and Test): Rachael Haynes (C), Alex Blackwell (VC), Kristen Beams, Nicole Bolton, Lauren Cheatle, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Belinda Vakarewa (Test only), Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington.

England squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Alex Hartley, Danielle Hazell, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Nat Sciver, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danielle Wyatt.

Schedule

First ODI Australia won by two wickets

Second ODI Australia won by 75 runs (DLS method)

Third ODI England won by 20 runs (DLS method)

Day-Night Test Match drawn

First T20 North Sydney Oval, November 17

North Sydney Charity Partner: McGrath Foundation

Second T20 Manuka Oval, November 19

Third T20 Manuka Oval, November 21

Canberra Charity Partner: Lord's Taverners ACT