England vs India: From buying own kit to first Lord’s Test – hosts set for more history

It’s not even been a week since England Women made history at Lord’s, and yet they’re already gearing up for the second round.

Something about the London bus, and that’s all.

More than 28,000 people packed the ground on Sunday for the Women’s T20 World Cup final, which Nat Syver-Brant’s England lost to Australia, and she is now preparing to lead the side in the first women’s Test match at the home of cricket.

Lord’s celebrated its 150th men’s Test earlier this summer with this disparity between the sexes. Heather Knight, an international cricketer since 2010, will be playing her 15th overall.

Coming so soon after such an important and record-breaking World Cup, and the match not being part of a multi-format series like most women’s Tests, it jostles for relevance.

Despite all these caveats, this is progress. The Test was put on England’s calendar in 2024, a year after the Independent Commission for Equity Cricket (ICEC) described it as “appalling” that England’s women had never played a Test at the venue.

“I played my first Test match in a skirt and paid for my own blazer,” said head coach and legendary former captain Charlotte Edwards. BBC Women’s Hour.

“I’m absolutely amazed. Sometimes I sit in the dugout or I sit in the balcony and I’m very proud of where the game is because 30 years ago, maybe 10 people were watching an England game and now we’re playing in front of packed houses and at Lord’s.

“When I first played at Lord’s, women weren’t allowed in. I’m very proud, as much as the players are enjoying themselves, I love being a part of this England team and we’re very lucky to have these opportunities.”