England A Women in Australia 2021/22

The fixture between the women’s under-23 sides of England and Australia is not a formal tournament but a series of ad-hoc bilateral tours arranged by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia (CA). These matches function as a bridge between domestic cricket, such as the Women’s Super League and the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL), and the senior national setup. Players are chosen by high-performance panels rather than through a competitive league structure.

The encounters are classified as unofficial internationals and do not contribute to official International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings or the senior Women’s Ashes trophy. The format varies by tour but typically features a multi-format series including unofficial T20Is, unofficial One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and occasionally a four-day Test match. A notable example is the March–April 2025 tour in Sydney, which included three T20Is, three ODIs, and one Test. There is no points table, promotion, or relegation system attached to these games; they serve as developmental warm-ups.

Paige Scholfield scored 164 runs during the April 2025 unofficial Test, contributing to England A Women’s highest team total of 407 in a first innings. While earlier records are fragmented, the first clearly identified recent encounter for the women’s sides was a T20 in January 2022. The series remains distinct from the senior Women’s Ashes, which is contested between full national teams using a points-based system across all three formats.

This arrangement allows players to gain experience in varied conditions without the pressure of official international standings. The matches provide a platform for emerging talent to test their skills against top-tier opposition before potentially moving to the senior squad. The focus remains on player development and preparation for future international duties rather than securing a permanent title or ranking.