Women’s Ashes set for major boost as technology confirmed

Even late schedule changes couldn’t stop a revolution in the women’s game.

Published by
Scott Pryde

In a world first, the women's Ashes will use the decision review system, with Cricket Australia confirming the news on Tuesday morning.

Despite the system, used by teams to review umpiring decisions for caught behind and leg before wicket, being used in the men's game for years, it has yet to feature in a single women's bi-lateral series for the Australian team. It was used in ten matches during the 2017 Women's World Cup, and during the last two women's T20 World Cups.

The use of the decision review system during the Women's Ashes was thrown up in the air by rescheduling, with it brought forward by a week and the venues changed, but the system will be in use for all seven games during the women's Ashes.

In similar conditions to men's cricket, Cricket Australia have confirmed to cricket.com.au that teams will receive two unsuccessful reviews per innings in each of the limited overs games (three T20s and three ODIs) and three reviews per innings in the Test match, which will be held at Manuka Oval.

The T20s will be played in Adelaide from Thursday, with the Test starting a week later in Canberra, before the ODIs are played on February 3 in Canberra, and February 6 and 8 in Melbourne.

The DRS has come under fire in recent times from the Indian cricket team, who were shocked at a decision in their final Test match against South Africa, while it also saw problems in the first Ashes Test when COVID restrictions made it impossible for a glitch to be fixed.

The system however, will meet minimum requirements for the women's series, with both the Australian and English cricket authorities agreeing to its use throughout the multi-format seven-match series, which will be determined on a points-scoring system.

The first T20 will be held in Adelaide at 7:10pm (AEDT) on Thursday evening.

Published by
Scott Pryde