Australia may have to wait years until next home Test

Australia's women may have to wait years to play another home Test, with Sunday's thrilling Ashes finish no silver bullet for more red-ball cricket.

Sunday's final hour made the match in Canberra one of the best women's Tests played, with all four results still on the table at the start of the last over as England chased 257 for victory in 48 overs and finished nine wickets down.

Sunday's play drew a combined average audience (not including streaming numbers) of 360,000 on the Seven Network and Foxtel (and a peak average of 437,000 for the final session), more than double the fourth-day numbers from October's Test against India and higher than the opening Ashes T20 earlier this month, which was played in prime time.

The match prompted widespread calls for more women's Tests, as both teams went after the win on the final day after rain looked likely to ruin the match.

But as things stand, not a single Test match is locked into the ICC's calendar.

England will host South Africa this winter and there is some hope a multi-format series similar to the Ashes could be played to include a Test.

For Australia, the wait will likely be longer.

The ICC has not released the schedule for the next cycle of the Women's ODI Championship and but have confirmed to cricket.com.au it will be revealed immediately after the upcoming ODI World Cup.

The Championship provides structure to the women's calendar between ODI World Cups and will likely dictate which team travels to Australia next September-October.

However, in accordance with the cycle, Pakistan and West Indies are the next teams due to tour Australia after last doing so in 2014-15.

Neither of those nations have played a Test since 2004 and would be extremely unlikely to do so again soon.

New Zealand and South Africa could be options when they next tour, but both would again be no certainty to feature in a Test match having not played one since 2004 and 2014 respectively.

Australia will feature in an away Test during the 2023 Ashes, but it means their next one at home may not be until India or England next return, possibly as late as 2025-26.

On Monday, a Cricket Australia spokesperson said: “We are working through the new women’s Future Tours Program at the moment.

"Cricket Australia is supportive of playing as much Test cricket as is practical, as evidenced by hosting Test matches versus both India and England as part of multi-format series this season, while supporting the global growth of the women's game.

"The Ashes Test at Manuka Oval was utterly compelling viewing and Sunday was our most watched day of women's Test cricket on record."

Coach Matthew Mott conceded the wait could indeed last until those teams come back to Australia, despite the match in Canberra being the fastest scoring in women's Test history, featuring a wicket falling once every nine overs.

"It was a great advertisement for the women's cricket, and particularly Test match cricket," Mott said.

"I still think that the Test matches are really good in this (multi-format) context, around the top teams playing it.

"(At the moment) I think that that will only come to the fore when we're playing India and England every couple of years.

"And then obviously South Africa and New Zealand (are options for a multi-format series, depending on) whether they have an appetite for it as well."

Mott also believes Australia's batting would benefit most from playing more Tests, particularly around decision-making on balls outside off stump.

The hosts were 2-4 and 2-12 early in both their innings, losing wickets playing at swinging balls after predominantly playing white-ball cricket.

Australia will now turn their attention to three ODIs against England starting Thursday, where one win will be enough to retain the Ashes.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes v England

Australia Ashes squad: Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Stella Campbell, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (vc), Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland

England Ashes squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver (vc), Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danni Wyatt

Australia lead the multi-format series 6-4

Jan 20: Australia won by nine wickets

Jan 22: No Result

Jan 23: Match Abandoned without a ball bowled

Jan 27-30: Match Drawn

Feb 3: First ODI, Manuka Oval (D/N), 2.10pm AEDT

Feb 6: Second ODI, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT

Feb 8: Third ODI, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT