England Women to return to Lord’s for India ODI and host South Africa for one-off Test in 2022

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South Africa and India confirmed for tours either side of Hundred and Commonwealth Games

England Women will play a Test match against South Africa, and return to Lord’s for their first international fixture at the venue since the 2017 ODI World Cup final, with confirmation of their schedule for the 2022 home summer.

South Africa and India will be the visiting teams for full tours either side of the Hundred and the Commonwealth Games, which is being hosted in Birmingham. The Test match, to be staged in Taunton, will be South Africa Women’s first outing in whites since 2014.

As previously reported by ESPNcricinfo, MCC had been keen for Lord’s to stage a women’s international as part of their drive to engage with a more diverse audience. The final ODI of the summer, against India, will be held at the ground in late September. Durham’s Riverside Ground will also host its first women’s fixture since 2013.

The full programme – encompassing a Test, three ODIs and three T20Is against South Africa, followed by three T20Is and three ODIs against India – will be broadcast on Sky Sports, with two of the T20Is also shown on the BBC.

“We are thrilled to be able to announce a compelling summer of international women’s cricket against two of the best teams in the world, in what is a bumper year for the women’s game,” Clare Connor, the ECB’s managing director of women’s cricket, said. “In particular, we are excited to be taking England Women back to Lord’s and up to the Riverside Ground as we continue to take the game to as many fans as possible.

“With the second edition of the Hundred and the historic opportunity to participate in the Commonwealth Games on home soil, we’re looking forward to seeing our players thrive on the biggest stages.

“Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, we keep seeing growth in our female participation numbers and I’m optimistic that a summer as action-packed as this, with more days broadcast than ever before, will continue to inspire more women and girls to play and watch the game.”

South Africa’s arrival will mark their first tour of England since 2018, and follows the cancellation of a planned trip in 2020, when restrictions around travel due to Covid meant they could not fulfil their obligations. Their most recent engagement in Tests was an innings defeat to India in Mysore more than seven years ago; they have only played England once in the format, beaten 1-0 over two Tests in 2003.

Graeme Smith, CSA’s director of cricket, said: “The exciting times keep rolling on for the Momentum Proteas and this tour against old foes England won’t be any different with the team looking to go from strength to strength in world cricket.

“As the squad step up their preparations for the World Cup in New Zealand and on the back of an enthralling home series against the West Indies, it was important to secure more formidable fixtures for the side as they seek to continue performing at their highest level.

“The scheduled Test match, which is something most cricket fans want to see more of, is the cherry on top of what will be a pivotal tour in the build-up to the Commonwealth Games, and a huge thanks to Clare Connor and the ECB for helping arrange what promises to be a remarkable tour.”

England Women fixtures 2022

South Africa
June 27-30 LV= Insurance Test match, England vs South Africa, Taunton
July 11 1st Royal London ODI, England vs South Africa, Northampton
July 15 2nd Royal London ODI, England vs South Africa, Bristol
July 18 3rd Royal London ODI, England vs South Africa, Leicester
July 21 1st Vitality T20I, England vs South Africa, Chelmsford
July 23 2nd Vitality T20I, England vs South Africa, Worcester
July 25 3rd Vitality T20I, England vs South Africa, Derby

India
September 10 1st Vitality T20I, England vs India, Durham
September 13 2nd Vitality T20I, England vs India, Derby
September 15 3rd Vitality T20I, England vs India, Bristol
September 18 1st Royal London ODI, England vs India, Hove
September 21 2nd Royal London ODI. England vs India, Canterbury
September 24 3rd Royal London ODI, England vs India, Lord’s

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