West Indies seek ECB funding help to secure 2027 women's Test

Cricket West Indies chief executive Chris Dehring says financial help from the England and Wales Cricket Board would secure a proposed women's Test against England in 2027, while the hosts continue trying to fund it themselves. Speaking to BBC Sport, Dehring said the match remained possible despite financial pressures. If it goes ahead, it would be West Indies' first women's Test since 2004.

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The prospect of assistance follows comments from ECB chair Richard Thompson, who suggested on Monday that his board could help preserve the Test as part of England's tour. According to the BBC, England's reasons for wanting the fixture to proceed include preparation for next summer's Ashes. Dehring welcomed the possibility of support from wealthier boards, but said Cricket West Indies still hoped to meet the costs from its own resources.

The tour is due to take place in April and May 2027, with three Twenty20 internationals and three one-day internationals alongside the proposed Test. A schedule has not yet been announced. West Indies cancelled a women's Test against Australia earlier this year, while Cricket West Indies announced a range of spending cuts last week, including reductions to player contracts.

Dehring outlined the particular expense of staging international cricket across the Caribbean. Touring arrangements commonly leave the home board responsible for visiting teams' travel and accommodation, the BBC reported. Moving players and officials between islands can add to those bills. Television production brings another expense, with equipment and broadcast crews needing to be flown into venues, according to Dehring.

Decisions about where the matches will be staged remain part of the financial calculation. Bidding by islands to host the next group of home fixtures began in recent days and is expected to finish in December. Dehring said there had been interest in staging the women's matches, and that a clearer assessment of the cost would follow the development of a schedule.

Keeping the tour in one location would be cheaper, Dehring said, although visiting multiple destinations is part of the Caribbean's appeal. He described ECB assistance as a way to make the Test certain, rather than announcing an agreed funding package. For now, the hosts' stated position is that they are still working towards covering the match themselves.