England and Australia to begin men’s and women’s Ashes series in June
The England men’s team will start their campaign to regain the Ashes from Australia at Trent Bridge on 18 June next year. The women’s series is scheduled to commence six days later. Both series will run concurrently through June and July, similar to the 2023 schedule.
The second men’s Test will be held at Lord’s starting on 30 June, followed by the third at Edgbaston on 8 July. The Utilita Bowl in Southampton is set to become the tenth UK venue to host a men’s Ashes Test, with the fourth Test beginning on 21 July. The series will conclude at the Kia Oval from 29 July.
The multi-format Women’s Ashes will take place from 24 June to 20 July. The series will open with a four-day game at Headingley on 24 June. This marks the first time a women’s Ashes Test will be played in Leeds since 2001.
Men’s and Women’s Ashes Fixtures
The men’s team will not play any Tests in the north of England, as Emirates Old Trafford and Headingley were not selected for these matches. This decision was previously noted by Andy Burnham, then the mayor of Greater Manchester, when it was announced in 2023. Australia will play a warm-up game against England Lions at Old Trafford from 7-10 June, as part of a new reciprocal agreement between the countries for high-quality opposition at international venues.
The England women’s team, who drew the multi-format series when Australia last visited three years ago, will also play three T20s starting on 3 July at Trent Bridge, The Oval, and Old Trafford. Additionally, three One-Day Internationals are scheduled to begin on 13 July, with matches at Southampton, Lord’s, and Edgbaston.
In the multi-format series, a victory in the Test match is worth four points, while each win in a white-ball game contributes two points. The England and Wales Cricket Board also announced that an England men’s mixed disability team will compete against Australia next summer, though specific dates and venues are yet to be confirmed.
Other International Engagements
Before the Ashes, the England men’s team will prepare by facing Bangladesh in a one-off Test at Lord’s, scheduled to start on 28 May. Their summer season will commence with a five-match ODI series against Pakistan in May. This will be followed by three T20s and five ODIs against New Zealand in September, as part of their preparations for the 50-over World Cup beginning in October.
The ICC World Test Championship Final is set to take place at The Oval from 9 June. This will be the second time The Oval hosts the final, which was previously held there in 2023. The ECB has been awarded the right to host the next three finals in London in 2027, 2029, and 2031.
Australia’s warm-up game against England Lions will be reviewed if the tourists reach the World Test Championship Final. The Ashes will cap off a busy red-ball schedule for Australia, which includes hosting Bangladesh for two Tests in August, touring South Africa for three Tests in October, hosting New Zealand for four Tests at the turn of the year, competing in five Tests in India in January and February, and staging a one-off Test against England in March to mark 150 years of Test cricket.
The England women’s team will conclude their summer schedule by hosting Bangladesh in a three-match T20 series and a three-match ODI series in September.
Key Fixtures for 2027
The 2027 men’s Ashes schedule includes:
- 18-22 June: First Test, Trent Bridge
- 30 June-4 July: Second Test, Lord’s
- 8-12 July: Third Test, Edgbaston
- 21-25 July: Fourth Test, Southampton
- 29 July-2 August: Fifth Test, Kia Oval
The 2027 women’s Ashes schedule includes:
- Test: 24-27 June: Headingley
- T20 series: 3 July (Trent Bridge), 6 July (Kia Oval), 9 July (Emirates Old Trafford)
- ODI series: 13 July (Southampton), 16 July (Lord’s), 20 July (Edgbaston)
Other notable fixtures for England men include a five-match ODI series against Pakistan starting 15 May and a one-off Test against Bangladesh from 28 May. The ICC World Test Championship Final is scheduled from 9-13 June at The Oval.
England women will host Bangladesh for a three-match T20 series starting 8 September and a three-match ODI series beginning 17 September.
The England men’s white-ball team will play ten ODIs over the summer, concluding with a three-match T20 series and five ODIs against New Zealand in September.
ECB Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould highlighted the significance of having three England teams playing against Australia across the country next summer. He also noted the inclusion of the England men’s mixed disability team as a landmark moment during an Ashes summer. The ICC World Test Championship Final will be held at The Oval from 9 June.
Read Also
Source: bbc.com
