Jess Jonassen calls for more women's Test cricket

Women's cricket has grown remarkably over the years, with more tournaments and opportunities than ever before. However, one area still lacking is the inclusion of Test cricket in the women's game. This concern was voiced by Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen during a rain delay at the Women’s Hundred 2024 match between Welsh Fire Women and Northern Superchargers Women.

Jonassen shared her love for Test cricket, describing it as her favorite format. She emphasized the unique thrill of playing in traditional whites and facing the red ball, whether batting or bowling.

“Test match cricket is my favorite format. I would love to play a lot more of it. There’s nothing better than putting on the whites and facing the red ball or bowling with the red ball,” Jonassen said.

Reflecting on her experience in the five-day Ashes Test in Nottingham in 2023, where Australia Women triumphed by 89 runs, Jonassen expressed her desire to play more Test matches. She also hopes to see Test cricket expanded to include more nations, beyond just the current participants—India, Australia, England, and South Africa.

"I absolutely loved the opportunity of playing a five-day Test in the last Ashes. I’d love to see more of it and play against more nations in Test cricket," Jonassen said.

She also highlighted the missed opportunities for talented players like New Zealand’s Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, who might never get to experience Test cricket before they retire. Jonassen described it as "almost criminal" that such players could finish their careers without playing in the longest format.

“It’s almost criminal that you’ve got players like Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates in New Zealand that may end their careers and not ever play Test match cricket," she further added.

Jonassen also called for the introduction of domestic women’s red-ball matches, using India’s cricket structure as an example. She believes that having domestic Test experience would better prepare players for international matches, rather than forcing them to learn during the game.

“I’d love to even have it domestically somehow. You want to make sure when you do get the opportunity to play an international Test match, that you’ve already had the exposure, that you’re not trying to learn as you go,” she concluded.