England drop planned West Indies Test and set out four-match Ashes preparation

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England Women will no longer play a Test during their tour of the West Indies in April 2027, with the ECB instead arranging four red-ball matches in England before the Ashes. The revised Caribbean trip will consist of three one-day internationals and three T20 internationals.

The ECB said the calendar could not accommodate the anticipated Test alongside the wider preparation programme. Cricket West Indies has agreed to the change and will confirm the tour’s dates and venues.

England’s tour will begin after the opening round of the domestic Metro Bank One-Day Cup, in which all England players are due to take part.

The red-ball build-up starts earlier in the year with a 10-day training camp in Bengaluru in January, ahead of the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy. The focus then shifts to preparation in English conditions for Charlotte Edwards’ side.

Before the Ashes Test, England will play a three-day match against Australia A and three intra-squad red-ball games. At least two of the internal matches will involve a wider pool, giving selectors an opportunity to compare players in the longer format before choosing the squad.

ECB chief executive Richard Gould said the programme was intended to provide competitive practice, increase opportunities and assess the depth of England’s playing group. The board highlighted the limited multi-day opportunities available within the current domestic structure.

The four-day Ashes Test at Headingley is scheduled for 24–27 June and is worth four points in the multi-format series. Three T20 internationals and three ODIs follow in July.

England have not won a home women’s Test since 2005 or taken the multi-format Ashes series since 2014, giving the preparation programme a clear competitive target.

Sources

• ECB: Official England Women red-ball programme and revised tour
• Sky Sports: Independent report on the Test’s removal and Ashes plans (2026-11-11)
• IANS via The Hawk: Independent report on the revised programme (2026-11-11)