There is nothing better in sporting theatre for cricket fans than a Test match which goes down to the wire.

And in the sole Test of the women's Ashes, which finished on Sunday afternoon in Canberra, Australia and England did just that.

When all three results are possible going into the last over, and a draw can be classed as “exciting” by the masses, that is what Test cricket should be, and is, all about.

And yet, it's the last women's Test which is currently on any national schedule for any country around the world.

That in itself is embarrassing for the ICC and world game. That the ultimate format - the pinnacle of this sport - isn't played more by women.

While it's understandable that budgets can be strained by the longest format of the sport, and even in the men's game the five-day format seems to be dying outside of the biggest series between the biggest nations, that isn't a reason that we shouldn't be seeing more of what we have seen over the past four days in Canberra.

Test cricket simply isn't played enough by women, and while there has been fierce criticism of the negative mindset with which it has been played over the years, that comes as a result of a number of factors.

The first is poor wickets, the second being the four-day length and terrible luck with weather, and the third being they simply don't get enough practice in this format to put it all on the line and go for a win.

It's also the by-product of a lead in which features all white-ball cricket in the multi-format series, and the fact one team will always be happy to play for a draw given they have taken a lead out of the ODI or T20 matches played beforehand.

Not even touching the four-day against five-day argument for matches, it's clear that if the multi-format series is going to be continued, the Test needs to be played ahead of the rest of the white-ball fixtures.

Playing the Test first allows a proper preparation, makes it the pinnacle and will have both teams pushing for victory.

The poor pitch argument however was put to bed in Canberra. The teams got a belter of a wicket at Manuka Oval, and, without rain, would have got a result on the fourth afternoon without a doubt.

But the fact of the matter is that there needs to be more flexibility in allowing these matches to go five days.

But that then brings in its own problem, given women play ten overs more per day than their male counterparts. A five-day Test would mean they end up playing 500 overs, compared to a men's Test which is scheduled to be 450.

There are two options to fix the debate though.

  • Keep the matches at four days, but play an extra 35 minutes per day allowing for 110 overs to be bowled, which would take the total to 440. This however requires a reserve day with a maximum of 110 overs to be scheduled should time be lost throughout the course of the match. Any lost time doesn't simply mean a full reserve day, however, the number of overs lost to a maximum of 110 could be made up.
  • Extend the matches to five days, but play only enough time for 90 overs per day in a similar fashion to men's Tests. That would leave matches at exactly 450 scheduled overs.

Whichever option the ICC and cricket boards around the world go with, one has to be done.

This weekend's women's Ashes Test proves there is an appetite amongst players and fans for proper women's Test cricket, and it's not fair to rob them of a chance to create a winning result because rain interfered in a four-day Test.

And with better playing conditions, more matches to be scheduled, and as a result the teams continuing to upskill in the format, there is no reason why women's Test cricket can't become the proper counterpart to the men's game.