Women's testing should take place over five days, says ICC's Barclay

 

International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Greg Barclay said the women's Test matches should be held over five days, but expressed doubts about the longer format's place in the future of women's cricket.

The women's friendlies are played over four days compared to the men's five, and the five friendlies played since 2017 have all ended in a draw.

England captain Heather Knight backed five-day tests and England bowler Kate Cross said cricketers were fit enough to handle the physical demands of longer games after the Ashes Test, drawn in January.

"Most people would say it takes five days," Barclay told the BBC. "If they want to play it, I personally think they should have five days to play it."

The only countries to have played a women's friendly in the last five years are England, Australia, and India. Sports Buzz

Barclay added that shorter cricket formats were "the way of the future" for the sport, saying one-day internationals and Twenty20 cricket were more attractive to fans.

"This is where broadcasters use their resources," Barclay said. "That's how you make money.

“To play Test cricket you need structures at the national level. They don't really exist in any of the countries yet. I don't really see women's Test cricket moving at any particular pace.

“That is not to say that countries that choose to play Test cricket cannot do so. But I don't see it at all as part of the landscape that's actually progressing.

In a post on Twitter, former player and host Isabelle Westbury said Barclay's comments were "disappointing".

England will host South Africa in a one-off test later this month in what will be the visitors' first Test since 2014. Referral Link