Aussies to embrace Test of the unknown

There will be plenty of unknowns when Australia and England stride out onto North Sydney Oval for the first-ever women’s day-night Test match in November, but coach Matthew Mott says his team will just be embracing the chance to be part of history.

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Given Test cricket is already a rarity for both teams – who play just one four-day Test every two years as part of the multi-format Commonwealth Bank Women’s Ashes – Mott doesn’t believe the switch in ball or timeslot will prove too big a dilemma for his players.

"We don’t have a huge amount of time to prepare but we’ll have pink-ball sessions up here (in Brisbane) that will help to familiarise people with it,” he said.

"North Sydney’s never had a day-night Test so we don’t have a lot to go on conditions-wise there, but I imagine (curator) Peter Devlin will produce a good wicket.

"I think the chat about the ball is a bit overrated personally, the best players will adapt to it. So it’s just important that we debunk any fears and just get the balls around the players to bowl with them and have a look at with the bat.

"It’s just an exciting period and all the girls are excited. It’s a great time of year to get people out there and watching that format of the game, which we don’t get to do often.

"It brings something new and we know (day-night Tests in) Adelaide have been a raving success."

The Australian players will also be given as much opportunity as possible to prepare for the game, with the squad to attend a training camp in Brisbane next month while their Ashes preparations will also include a multi-day warm-up match.

One thing is certain though: Mott is determined to make sure the match is a spectacle, both for those in attendance at North Sydney Oval and for people tuning into the game via cricket.com.au’s live stream.

"Both teams will want to play an exciting brand of cricket and the atmosphere of day-night cricket will certainly enhance that,” he said.

"Leading into the last Ashes in England, we just spoke about playing as close to our one-day tempo as we could.

"I think that will produce a good game to watch (this time), and I think that’s really important, that it’s a good spectacle as well.

"It makes for good cricket and there’ll be some creative captaincy if need be as well. We’re certainly open to that."

Monday marked two years to the day since Australia reclaimed the Ashes on English soil, when victory in the second T20 in Hove ensured an unassailable lead in the multi-format Ashes points tally with a game to spare.

Australia won two of three ODIs and one of three T20Is in that series, but Mott said it was the 161-run Test victory in Canterbury for which he had the fondest memories.

"I remember (from England in 2015), the Test is the one that stood out," he said.

"All the T20s and one-day games were special, but I think the Test match is the one you do have the most memories of.

"You remember phases of play, wickets and great partnerships and things like that.

"It’s important we do well. Obviously we want to win the whole thing, but the Test match is very exciting for everyone and will always go down in people’s memories."

Schedule

First ODI Allan Border Field, October 22

Brisbane Charity Partner: Lord Mayor's Charitable Trust

Second ODI Coffs International Stadium, October 26

Third ODI Coffs International Stadium, October 29

Coffs Junior Cricket Association Partners: Coffs Harbour District JCA, Nambucca Bellingen JCA, and Clarence River JCA

Day-Night Test North Sydney Oval, November 9-12

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