ECB will 'look at' funding women's Windies Test if needed

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will “look at” the unusual step of funding a women’s Test in the West Indies next year in order to aid England’s Ashes preparations.

England have played only one Test since the last women's Ashes - a defeat by India

The Test in the Caribbean, part of a multi-format series in the spring of 2027, was announced in 2024 and is scheduled before England's bid to regain the Ashes from Australia.

Last week, Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced a wide range of money-saving measures, including cuts to player contracts.

In March, a women's Test that West Indies were due to host against Australia was cancelled, though the white-ball element of that tour went ahead.

There have been no discussions between the ECB and CWI about cancelling the Test.

The tour as a whole – including three T20s and three one-day internationals in April and May of next year – is not under threat, though exact dates and venues are still to be confirmed.

Source: BBC Sport