The warmth of the reception for the Ashes in Chester-le-Street over the past three days has been noted by the England and Wales Cricket Board "as it ponders how the next wave of international fixtures, including the 2019 Ashes, should be allocated," according to Richard Hobson of the LONDON TIMES. ECB Managing Dir of Professional Cricket Gordon Hollins is working with the Major Match Group, "which ultimately determines who plays where, to consider tweaking the controversial bidding system for a second time in recent years." Games are worth an increasing number of millions to the regions as well as the host clubs themselves, "thus the enormous competition to stage them." Ashes matches for the next home series in '15 "have been allocated already to Lord’s, the Kia Oval, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and the SWALEC Stadium." One view within the ECB is that "a series gains value in terms of interest by taking a game to a less established venue." Hampshire may be the beneficiaries if such thinking continues to gain momentum with Chair Rod Bransgrove "keen to bring an Ashes game to the Ageas Bowl" in '19 (LONDON TIMES, 8/12).
