ECB Reveals Future Ashes Test Venues
The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced which grounds will host Ashes tests in the 2013 and 2015 series, with Old Trafford, Trent Bridge, Lord’s, The Oval and Durham’s Riverside all set for 2013 test cricket – while the Rose Bowl is among the grounds to miss out.
Trent Bridge, and London’s two test grounds, Lord’s and the Oval, will all host games over the next two home Ashes series – with Cardiff and Edgbaston hosting the remaining two Tests in 2015.
It will be a first Ashes match ever for Durham’s Riverside, and Old Trafford has not staged an Ashes test since 2005.
The ECB delivered the independent major match group’s decision, not just on which venues will stage the next two Ashes series, but also many other international fixtures between 2013 and 2016.
For Nottinghamshire, the revenue they can generate from hosting an Ashes test at Trent Bridge will go some way to justifying the decision to spend millions of pounds on upgrading facilities.
ECB chairman, Giles Clarke, said: ‘The quality of the submissions made by the venues was outstanding and reflects the importance to regions as well as venues in staging major matches’.
‘The awards for the next five-year period will enable counties to review and where necessary revise their business plans with the certainty of their match programme over a substantial period of time’.
