The multi-format Women's Ashes points system was criticised for effectively allowing Australia to retain the Ashes before the Test match, making the flagship Test feel meaningless.
The Women's Ashes has used a unique multi-format points system since 2013, combining results from ODIs, T20Is, and a one-off Test into an overall series result. While innovative, the system has been repeatedly criticised for its structural flaws, and these criticisms reached a peak during the 2022 series in Australia.
Australia dominated the early white-ball matches, winning enough points to retain the Ashes before the Test match had even begun. This meant the sole Test — which many consider the pinnacle format and the most prestigious part of any Ashes series — was rendered meaningless in terms of the overall result. Critics argued that no format should be mathematically eliminated before it is played.
The scheduling also came under fire. The Test was squeezed in between white-ball matches and was allocated only four days instead of five, limiting the possibility of a result on spinning or deteriorating pitches. Comparisons with the men's Ashes, which features five standalone Tests each considered a major event, highlighted the disparity in how the women's and men's versions of cricket's oldest rivalry were treated.
There were calls for the Women's Ashes to adopt a standalone Test series format or at minimum to restructure the points system so that the Test carried more weight. Cricket Australia and the ECB acknowledged the feedback but made only minor adjustments. The debate continues about how to make the Women's Ashes a truly equitable showcase for the women's game.
No formal rule changes were made immediately. The points system was tweaked slightly for subsequent series, but fundamental criticism about the Test's place in the series remained.
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