ECB will ‘look at’ funding West Indies women’s Test if needed to aid Ashes preparations

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has said it would consider the unusual step of funding a women’s Test in the West Indies in spring 2027 to support England‘s preparations for the Ashes. The Test in the Caribbean is part of a multi-format series announced in 2024 and is scheduled before England’s bid to regain the Ashes from Australia.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced a wide range of money-saving measures last week, including cuts to player contracts. In March 2026, a women’s Test that West Indies were due to host against Australia was cancelled, though the white-ball element of that tour went ahead.

ECB chair Richard Thompson said he hopes the Test will take place and does not expect it to be cancelled. As reported by BBC Sport, there have been no discussions between the ECB and CWI about cancelling the Test. The tour as a whole, including three T20s and three one-day internationals in April and May 2027, is not under threat, though exact dates and venues are still to be confirmed.

“We want that Test match to play out. It’s very important for us because our first women’s match in the Ashes is the Headingley Test, so we need a good red-ball warm-up. We’ve got to be playing somewhere and we’d much prefer that to be the West Indies. We all have a huge sympathy for the West Indies, we all want to see a successful West Indian nation. They have very unique challenges and I hope through the International Cricket Council and others we can find a way through this,” Tompson said, as quoted by BBC Sport.

Why is the ECB considering financial support for the Test?

Governing bodies typically operate reciprocal arrangements under which the home board covers the logistical expenses of the visiting team, including travel and accommodation. In the West Indies, these costs are inflated by the expense of flying players between islands. CWI said last week that it has spent more than $80 million on domestic air travel in the past 15 years.

Thompson pointed to a similarly unusual situation when the Zimbabwe men’s team played a Test in England last year, with the ECB paying the visitors a touring fee. When it was put to Thompson that the ECB may need to provide some funding for the Test to take place, he said his organisation would look at the situation should it arise.

The historic significance of the fixture adds further weight to the ECB’s position. England have not played West Indies in a women’s Test since 1979, and West Indies have not played a Test against any opponent since a trip to Pakistan in 2004. The planned 2027 match would end gaps of more than four decades for both sides.

How does the West Indies Test fit into England’s Ashes build-up?

England’s preparations for the 2027 women’s Ashes are extensive. In January 2027, the England squad will take part in a 10-day red-ball training camp in India. The West Indies Test in spring 2027 would then provide competitive red-ball cricket before the Ashes series begins.

England have played only one Test since losing every Ashes game in early 2025, a defeat by India at Lord’s earlier in 2026. The West Indies tour therefore represents a significant opportunity for match practice in Test conditions. Plans for domestic players to potentially be involved in red-ball cricket in the early 2027 season are also being finalised.

The first women’s Ashes match is a sole Test at Headingley in June 2027, making it the only Test scheduled north of Nottingham next summer. In 2023, England played Australia A and Australia played England A as Test warm-up matches ahead of the Ashes, an arrangement that could be replicated in 2027.