Baggy Green dusted off, Healy awaits opening chance

When Alyssa Healy and husband Mitchell Starc compare Baggy Greens, the difference is obvious.

One is the well-worn veteran of 51 Tests, the other almost brand new, donned just three occasions.

Australia wicketkeeper-batter Healy will get to pull on her beloved Baggy Green for the first time since November 2017 when the sole Test of the women's Ashes gets underway in Taunton on Thursday.

It's a match where the tourists not only hope to put the result of the multi-format series beyond doubt, but to also make an argument for why Australia's women should play more red-ball cricket – currently, something that only happens on average every two years as part of the Ashes.

"We always compare (our Baggy Greens) at home where Mitch's sits next to mine in our bedroom, his is torn and tattered and enjoyed many a Test and mine's still looking brand new after only a couple, so it makes it even more special for us," said Healy, who played the first of her three Tests in 2011.

"We don't get to play too many, when we do get an opportunity it's always really special and there's potentially girls that go right through their cricketing careers for Australia and don't get the opportunity to do it.

"So the XI who get the opportunity to do it in this Test match will enjoy it … it's definitely one I look forward to every couple of years and always want to stick my hand up and make sure I'm in good form to play."

As is often the case with the women's game, there's more at stake than just the four points on offer in the multi-format, points-based series.

Healy is well aware that if Australia are to get their wish of playing more Test cricket – potentially through the introduction of multi-format series against other top nations – their case will be helped if they and England can put on a spectacle in Taunton.

"There's even quotes around the men's game that Test cricket's dead but it's definitely not, it's alive and thriving from my point of view," Healy said. "It's a real opportunity for us to play a little bit more of it, it's not a format we're comfortable with simply because we don't play a lot of it.

"I think Test cricket is important in our game and I hope one day in our game there'll be more and more opportunities for the young girls coming through to be able to experience it."

Healy is tipping both teams to head into the match looking to play aggressively – not least of all because England must win the match to keep the Ashes alive. A draw will give Australia the two points they need to take an 8-0 lead in the multi-format, points-based series, enough to retain the trophy.

"It's probably going to be one of the most exciting ones as well given England need the four points and we naturally go out there and play an attacking style of game anyway," Healy said.

"The Test Match is worth four points but (more than that) with them not coming around too often, to get a win is something we really want to achieve.

"In the last Ashes series we played at home, we let England back in and they ended up with the eight points from the back end of that T20 series.

"Something we have spoken about is trying not to let them back in – they always manage to find a way to claw themselves back into the series.

"So for us it is important to go out there and get these four points and get the Ashes in the bag."

Healy is also set to open in a Test for the first time, after partnering Nicole Bolton at the top of the order in both innings of Australia's three-day warm-up game in Marlborough last week.

It's a case of Australia sticking to a formula they know works in the one-day arena, as well as backing Healy's incredibly 18-month run with the bat in both limited-overs formats, which saw her claim the annual Belinda Clark Award in February as Australia's best-performing women's player.

The last time she donned the whites at North Sydney Oval in 2017, Healy hit 45 in partnership with double-centurion Ellyse Perry after coming in at No.7 – now she's relishing the idea of taking on England new-ball stars Anya Shrubsole and Katherine Brunt.

"I think it's a role that I'm really going to enjoy," she said. "I don't think it'll change too much from our one-day game, I'm still going to look to go out there and take on the bowlers but I'm hopefully going to enjoy some time at the crease and to try and blunt their new-ball attack, which is going to be really crucial for them.

"Technically I feel like I'm in a really good place at the minute … so from that point of view I don't think (opening in a Test) necessarily has to change my game too much."

The women's Ashes Test will begin at 11am local time on Thursday (8pm AEST) with broadcast live and free on the Nine Network and ABC Radio.

CommBank Ashes Tour of England

Australia lead England 6-0

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Nicole Bolton, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham

England ODI squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Sophie Ecclestone, Jenny Gunn, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt 

July 2: Australia won by two wickets

July 4: Australia won by four wickets

July 7:  Australia won by 194 runs

July 11-13: England Academy v Australia, Marlborough College, Swindon

July 18-21: Only Test, The County Ground, Taunton

July 26: First T20, County Ground, Chelmsford

July 28: Second T20, The County Ground, Hove

July 31: Third T20, Bristol County Ground, Bristol

A Test victory is worth four points (two each for a draw), two points are awarded for ODI and T20 wins