Oz, English women teams to contest Ashes series in all international formats

In a break from tradition, the women's version of the Ashes is set to be conducted across all three international formats in England and Australia.

The series, beginning in August 2013 will start with a Test match and then continue with three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 fixtures and the team which has accrued the most points in all fixtures will win the Ashes, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

The report further said that there are six points available for success in the Test and two for a victory in each of the other matches.

According to the head of England women's cricket Clare Connor, the women's game has seen a steep growth in interest and profile as a result of the limited-overs formats in recent years, adding that the new Women's Ashes Series looks to combine the growth with the prestige and tradition of Test match cricket.

Connor further said that the board believes that this new multi-format series will gain significantly more profile and context than can be generated by playing a one-off Test match every couple of years.

England and Australia's men's teams, who played the first Test match in 1877, will contest the latest edition of their Ashes series across five Tests in England starting in July, the report added.