The women’s Test pencilled in for Australia’s Caribbean visit later this month has been quietly taken off the itinerary, with both boards deciding their immediate priorities lie in limited-overs cricket ahead of the T20 World Cup. Instead, the sides will meet in three T20Is in St Vincent (19, 21 and 23 March) followed by three ODIs in St Kitts (27, 29 March and 2 April).
For West Indies it would have been a first Test since 2004 – and only the second since 1979 – but Cricket West Indies (CWI) felt the timing was wrong.
“Our planning this year prioritises maximizing white-ball readiness ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup,” Miles Bascombe, CWI’s director of cricket, said. “This series forms a central part of that preparation, allowing us to concentrate resources and build combinations.
“We remain committed to the long-term growth of women’s Test cricket, and discussions are already underway for a future red-ball opportunity, including a highly anticipated series against England in 2027.”
Cricket Australia’s head of scheduling and operations, Peter Roach, stressed that the administrators had ‘pursued every reasonable course’ to retain the red-ball match. “However, it was also important that this series be played in more than one venue ensuring the best possible facilities and varying conditions,” he explained. “We’re grateful Cricket West Indies has worked within their constraints to make this happen.
“CA continues to support women’s Test cricket while acknowledging the differing circumstances in some member nations and their desire to play and promote T20 cricket as they grow the women’s game.”
From Australia’s angle the tour is supposed to mark the true beginning of Sophie Molineux’s captaincy across formats. A back injury picked up in India, though, has put her participation in question; Alyssa Healy would be the obvious stand-in if rehab drags on.
The ODIs will be Australia’s first points in the new ICC Women’s Championship cycle that leads to 2029 World Cup qualification, with the ongoing series in India sitting outside that window.
West Indies, meanwhile, are coming off a patchy home series against Sri Lanka in Grenada, losing the ODIs 2-1 and tumbling to 49 all out in the opening T20I before rain wiped out a likely defeat. Hayley Matthews remains central to their hopes, but the batting order around her needs steadier platforms.
A Test this year would have given West Indian players a rare taste of four-day cricket, yet with a global tournament looming, both boards have concluded that sharpening white-ball skills is the more pressing task. Talks on a future Test are on the table; for now, the focus is back to coloured clothing and the fast-moving formats that dominate the women’s calendar.
