'Feels like a novelty': Ash Gardner and Tammy Beamount call for more Tests in multi-format Ashes series
Ash Gardner and England star Tammy Beaumont have both expressed their desire for women to play more Test matches as the debate returns around the women's Ashes format.
Currently the tournament between Australia vs England consists of three ODIs, three T20Is and one Test match.
The Test win carries a value of four points compared compared to two from the short form matches.
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Speaking at the series launch, Gardner called for more red-ball cricket to feature, particularly in the Ashes.
Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland playing against South Africa in 2024. Getty
"That's a bit of a hot topic at the moment. I think everyone's going to have their own individual point of view on that but I think just purely workload it would be quite tough just with how busy our summers are but personally I would love to see three (Tests), three (ODIs) and three (T20Is)," she said.
"It's obviously going to make tours a lot longer, I'm not sure where you're going to fit it in that timeframe, knowing that you obviously have to play overseas competitions as well so it would be interesting to see over the next four to five years where that gets to but I know personally I would love to play more Test cricket against England.
"Playing the one Test feels like a novelty sometimes so I guess being able to fight out more of a Test championship (would be good), we obviously have some really good white ball games against England and other nations around the world but the way our two teams match up I think would be a really cool Test series to see who would come out on top of that.
"But I don't think that's going to change any time soon."
Ash Gardner and Tammy Beaumont at the launch of the Ashes. Getty Images for Cricket Austral
Beaumont, who has a Test double hundred to her name, implied the narratives that come from a longer Test series would increase the hype around it.
"I completely agree with Ash. I'd like to see a three, three, three," she said.
"I think the best thing about the Ashes is the narrative, the rivalry, how it builds over time. You saw in the India-Australia men's Test series that the narratives build in a five match series and even in a three match series.
"The kind of things with (Jasprit) Bumrah always getting the same people out or things like that and as an opening batter that's part of why you love the game is that battle of trying to get one up on an opening bowler and I think it builds even more in Test cricket.
"That's why I love getting the whites on and I'd love to see more of it."
