England women’s head coach Lisa Keightley has called ICC president Greg Barkley’s questioning the future of women’s Tests “disappointing”, saying nations capable of playing red-ball matches could challenge those views by playing more.
The 50-year-old acknowledged that women’s cricket was not well prepared to play red-ball games in some countries, but insisted that countries where it was possible had to play a part in elevating the game.
The coach said that the ECB is looking at introducing red-ball cricket for women at the domestic level to address one of the impediments to the development of the Women’s Test.
“Disappointing to hear that. We can challenge and say, ‘We really feel like we want to lead’. The way to do that is to play more Test matches,” Keitley was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“Actually I don’t think every country can play this format, I get that, but I think we should stretch and challenge and have the desire to improve and develop women’s cricket. Few countries are like this. There are those who are extending their hands to play Test match cricket for that purpose. Players really want to play it and organizations are getting around and behind it,” he said.
In an interview with BBC Test Match Special earlier this month, Barkley backed England captain Heather Knight’s view that the Women’s Test should be played over five days, however, adding that “there is no doubt that White ball cricket is the way of the future”.
“You have to have structures at the domestic level to play Test cricket. They don’t really exist in any country at the moment. I really can’t see women’s Test cricket developing at any particular pace,” he said.
“This is not to say that any country that likes to play Test cricket cannot do it. But I don’t think it’s any part of the landscape going forward to any real extent,” he said.
England women’s team is preparing to play Test against South Africa in Taunton from Monday. This will be South Africa’s first Women’s Test in seven years, while it will be the third Test just a year after the draw with England. India In an exciting competition test in Bristol last June.
Following this, they played a thrilling Ashes draw with Australia in January, a match that went off the last ball, prompting fresh calls for matches to be played over five days instead of four. But only once has a team other than England, India and Australia participated in a Test since 2007, when South Africa suffered an innings defeat at the hands of India in 2014. None of the last five Women’s Tests have produced results, and moving forward argues that they should be played over five days.
“I think the last few Test matches have proved that this is a format which is quite exciting if we play it to grow and that is the biggest challenge in women’s cricket and Test matches where players have played multiple Tests. Haven’t played,” said Keitley, who played nine matches. Tests for Australia between 1995 and 2005.
“If you look at South Africa – they can have 10 debuts, we can have five. You have to learn the craft of Test cricket at the same time. Countries that are playing Test matches probably have a path where they can go for a long time. It’s just a matter of where the format can slide, and we want to take that forward. It’s just a matter of how you can put it in the domestic structure and what it might look like,” she said.
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