HEADLINE: Historic Test return for West Indies women

West Indies women make a welcome return to Test cricket after a 20-year hiatus from the sport’s longest format.

This was confirmed on November 4, when the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced its line-up for the Blockbuster Women’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) for 2025-2029.

The maroon women reignite the region’s Test status when they play host to Australia for one match in 2026; 50 years after the Caribbean team made their Test debut against the Australians in 1976.

England women play against the Windies in 2027 and this will be the first meeting between the squads in this format since 1979. It was also confirmed that the WI women will travel to South Africa for an away Test in 2028.

WI women have not played a Test match since 2004. Their short record from four Test series stands at three draws and one loss to England. The maroon team played Australia (0-0) in 1976, India in 1977 (1-1), lost to England (2-0) in 1979 and drew against Pakistan (0-0) in 2004. The 1976 match against Australia was the last time West Indies played a Test match at home.

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Whose decision is this..under current events, I give credit to TRUMP...He seems adept
at opening eyes.
This is wonderful news and it really speaks to the dotishness and leadership vacuum
of the ICC.
It is a travesty that some of the Region's Best ever players have been denied for so
long to play Test cricket and their CV's do not include the Games's highest format.
I can think of Stev Taylor who has a long career that is drawing to a close.
Thankfully she will be able to correct that omission.
However whoever the source of this epiphany, this is welcomed news.
Many are not aware that the women's game was making strides to advance in the early
70s when Jamaica on its own with a vibrant league was given Test Status and played it's
First Test on its own against England at Sabina Park.
Back then the Game was not fully under the direction of the WICBC as the Women's
game with the Big 2 England and Australia were virtually in charge and the then ICC
was of a different makeup leaving the Women to make outreach.
Within a few years Jamaica and other Regional countries were brought fully into the
WI realm with WI gaining Test status.
Because the Jamaica game was built on volunteers with men outside of the JCBC providing yeoman
assistance, once WI came on with full responsibility ,the game went into remission locally and eventually the
local league with sponsors, folded as devoid of expertise from the JCB and the game's standard fell locally and has never recovered.
But the record books will show Jamaica's Test venture with a fair amount of spectators as they
engaged Rachel Heyhoe Flint's England at Sabina Park.
Many thought the Jamaica women would have gone on to great things but it was not be be.
They gave a creditable performance and even in losing ,held their own.
Thankfully the ICC has seen the necessity to correct its wrong by restoring Test cricket to the women of the Region.
The ICC deserves commendation in this respect.
The WI women should also be assisted now in restoring the 2 or 3 day matches among regional countries which
were customary and provided good cricket as St Lucia and St Vincent especially were in no way inferior to the Big four playing on their own
then .
Get to work WIC and build back better. at the same time the Board should engage on a bilateral basis with other Test countries
not name, Australia, South Africa, India or England in the coming FTP
Give the women their due, get a move on, now and build the game starting with the Youth and schoolers.