Edgbaston to host opening Test of 2019 Ashes series

ENGLAND’S 2019 HOME SCHEDULE

LONDON : England’s bid to regain the Ashes next year will begin with the first Test against Australia at Edgbaston, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Thursday.

Edgbaston, where England are unbeaten since 2009, will get the five-Test series underway from August 1-5, with matches following at Lord’s, Headingley, Old Trafford and the Oval.

Australia recorded a comprehensive 4-0 rout over England at home earlier this year but they have not won an away Ashes series since Steve Waugh’s side triumphed 4-1 in 2001.

The Ashes will kick off the inaugural World Test Championship, which will see nine topranked Test nations competing in a league over a two-year cycle.

England are also scheduled to meet Ireland at Lord’s in a fourdayTestfromJuly24-27,theirfirst test of fewer than five days since the tour of New Zealand in 1971.

“We expect next summer’s inaugural Test Match at Lord’s against our neighbours to be an historic celebration for all Irish cricket fans,” ECB chief executive Tom Harrison said.

“It will also provide excellent Ashes preparation for England against an Irish team whose impressive performance against Pakistan earlier this year showed they can compete in this form.”

LORD’S TO HOST TEST WITH IRELAND

LONDON : England’s historic first Test match against Ireland will be played at Lord’s next July.

Ireland made their Test debut against Pakistan at Malahide in May and in 2019 they will head to London for a four-day match against England at the home of cricket from July 24-27.

It will be the first ever meeting between the two local rivals in the game’s longest format. May 5: T20 v Pakistan, Cardiff; May 8: First ODI v Pakistan, the Oval

May 11: Second ODI v Pakistan, Southampton

May 14: Third ODI v Pakistan, Bristol

May 17: Fourth ODI v Pakistan, Trent Bridge

May 19: Fifth ODI v Pakistan, Headingley

July 24-27: Test v Ireland, Lord’s Aug 1-5: First Test v Australia, Edgbaston

Aug 14-18: Second Test v Australia, Lord’s

Aug 22-26: Third Test v Australia, Headingley

Sept 4-8: Fourth Test v Australia, Old Trafford; Sept 12-16: Fifth Test v Australia, the Oval