England cancel Windies Test in favour of home Ashes warm-ups

England have cancelled the women’s Test scheduled in the West Indies in April and will use a series of red-ball matches in the UK to prepare for next summer’s Ashes. The ECB says the change is a performance decision intended to give Nat Sciver-Brunt’s team the best chance of beating Australia.

The Ashes Test is at Headingley from 24 to 27 June and is worth four points in the multi-format series. England plan four preparatory matches, including a three-day game against Australia A and three intra-squad fixtures, alongside a red-ball training camp in Bangalore in January. The West Indies tour will now comprise three T20s and three one-day internationals; West Indies have not played a women’s Test since 2004.