Lord’s to Stage First‑Ever Women’s Test as England Host India

England host India in a women’s Test at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground – the venue’s first such fixture.

Lord’s will finally welcome a women’s Test, 142 years after its inaugural men’s match, when England and India clash in a four‑day classic at the “Home of Cricket” beginning on Friday. The historic clash caps a long journey for women’s cricket at this famed ground.

India coach Amol Muzumdar reflected on the moment: “It just boggles my mind that it is just the first (women’s) Test match here at Lord’s.”

The road to this milestone began more than 50 years ago. England beat Australia by eight wickets in a one‑day international at Lord’s on 4 August 1976 – the first women’s match ever staged there. Rachael Heyhoe Flint, England’s captain on that day, led a team that still wore skirts rather than modern trousers. Heyhoe Flint, who died in 2017, is now honoured with a gate bearing her name at the ground.

In 1976 the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Lord’s owners, were still decades away from admitting women as members; the idea of a female player walking through the Long Room before taking the field was a distant dream. Megan Lear, England’s No 5 that historic day, later compared the experience to the moon landing: “On that day in 1976, to walk on to the hallowed turf at Lord’s, it was like one small step for us women cricketers, but one giant leap towards the future of women’s cricket.”

The game arrives on the heels of England’s recent defeat by Australia in the women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s, a match that drew a capacity crowd. Nine members of the World Cup squad, including captain Nat Sciver‑Brunt, have been named for the Test. Sciver‑Brunt, who is nursing a calf injury, said she is “hoping to play”.

‘History in the making’

England coach Charlotte Edwards, who captained the side to the 2009 Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s, spoke of the occasion: “We’ve always known this has been on the calendar. A lot of our players have been doing Test match prep throughout the T20s, so we’re really looking forward to it.”

Edwards added, “It’s a historic Test match for us as a group and for the Indian team, and we can’t wait to play in front of a lot of people again over the next four days.”

Teenage spinner Tilly Corteen‑Colman, 18, also understands the significance. “I remember speaking to Lottie (Edwards) about when she used to play here and they weren’t allowed in the Long Room,” she said. “The first women’s Test at Lord’s is history in the making, so to be involved would be incredible. It would mean the absolute world.”

While it marks a breakthrough for the venue, the match also serves as a farewell for veteran England batter Tammy Beaumont. She has made 260 appearances for England since her debut 17 years ago and was the first English woman to score a double century in Test cricket – 208 against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2023. “When I fell in love with playing cricket as a young girl, I barely knew that playing cricket for England was an option,” Beaumont said. The 35‑year‑old added, “Our first ever women’s Test at Lord’s feels like the perfect occasion to sign off on a career that I could never have dreamt would be as special as it has been.” She will continue to play domestic cricket.

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