The England women's cricket team are the women's team that represent England and Wales in international cricket. They played in the first Women's Test match in 1934–35, when they beat Australia 2–0 in a three-Test series.
England were a part of the first Women's Test series, as their team led by Betty Archdale touring Australia in the summer of 1934–35, three years after the Bodyline tour by the men. The team and their captain received "warm" responses from the Australian crowds. Winning both the first two Tests and drawing the third, England took the first series, and also beat New Zealand by an innings and 337 runs on the way home, where Betty Snowball contributed an innings of 189, which was to remain a women's Test record for half a century. However, their leading player, and one of the best-known women cricketers of the era, was the allrounder Myrtle Maclagan. She scored the first ever century in a woman's Test match on 7 January 1935.
Two years later, England suffered their first Test defeat, at the hands of Australia at Northampton. As Australia made their inaugural tour, an England team including seven debutantes conceded 300 on the first day, and despite bowling Australia out for 102 in the second innings they lost by 31 runs. England recovered to take the second Test after a first-innings 115 from Myrtle Maclagan, who also took five wickets opening the bowling, and the third Test was drawn to ensure a 1–1 series tie.
Losing the Ashes[]
England began playing women's Test cricket again in 1948–49, when they toured Australia for a three-Test series. An England team with seven debutantes, lost the Women's Ashes to Australia after losing the first Test and drawing the final two. Two of their eleven made half-centuries on tour: Molly Hide, who also batted out the third day of the final Test to make England's only century in Australia this season to draw the game, and Myrtle Maclagan, who hit 77 in the second Test. Both had Test experience from before the War. Maclagan was also England's leading wicket-taker on tour, with nine wickets, ahead of Hide and Mary Johnson who took six each. However, England still beat New Zealand in their Test one month after the conclusion of the Ashes.
In 1951, Australia toured England for the first time in 14 years. After drawing the first Test at Scarborough, England gained a lead of 38 on first innings after Mary Duggan's five wickets, and set a target of 159, larger than any score in the previous three innings. Australia were 131 for eight after Duggan took four more wickets, but England conceded 29 for the ninth wicket. Thus, they surrendered the Ashes again, despite winning the final Test by 137 runs after another Duggan nine-wicket-haul to draw the series at 1–1.
England's next international series involve a visit from New Zealand in 1954. England won the first Test, despite giving up a deficit of 10 on first innings, but drew the second and third; the third Test saw a whole day's play lost to rain. Excluding one-offs, this was England's first series win since their inaugural series.
England went on tour of Australasia once again in 1957–58, nine years after their previous tour, but by now Mary Duggan had taken over as captain. For a change, they began against New Zealand, where they drew both Tests; despite Duggan's five-for in the final innings, New Zealand closed on 203 for nine after being set 228 to win. They then moved on to Australia, where their series began with an abandoned match at North Sydney Oval in February, and the second Test at St Kilda had the first day rained off. When the teams came in to bat, though, Duggan set a women's Test record; she claimed seven Australian batters, all for single-digit scores, and in 14.5 overs she conceded six runs, bettering Maclagan's previous best of seven for 10. The record stood for 38 years. However, Betty Wilson replied with seven for seven as England were bowled out for 35, three short of Australia's total, and then made a second-innings hundred as Australia set a target of 206 in 64 overs. England lost eight wickets for 76, but still managed the draw, while Wilson claimed four wickets to become the first Test player to score a hundred and take ten wickets in a match.
Wilson also hit a hundred in the third Test at Adelaide, but Cecilia Robinson replied with a hundred of her own, lasting into the final day's play. With Ruth Westbrook and Edna Barker also scoring half-centuries, England gained a first-innings lead, but Australia batted out to make 78 for two and draw the game. The fourth Test was also drawn; England trailed by 27 going into the final day, but Robinson carried her bat to 96 not out as England survived 102.5 overs and set Australia a target of 162. England only got one wicket in reply, however, to draw the game.
Australia at Exhibition Ground, Brisbane, 28-31 December 1934
India at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai, 14-16 December 2023
International XI at County Ground, Hove, 23 June 1973
West Indies at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, 9 December 2022
New Zealand at County Ground, Hove, 5 August 2004
South Africa at Newlands, Cape Town, 24 February 2023
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