England, South Africa To Play Four-Test Series In '15-16

A small group of England cricketers "will spend more than two months living out of their suitcases on a 2015-16 tour to South Africa that will span four Tests, five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches," according to Josh Burrows of the LONDON TIMES. The tour starts on Dec. 11 next year and finishes on Feb. 21. England tours "do not usually last longer than the Christmas holiday period but exceptions are made for Australia and South Africa because of the tradition of playing a Test match on Boxing Day." The South Africa schedule announced on Monday is no exception, with the first Test at Kingsmead in Durban on Dec. 26. Although 20 days of Test match cricket allows time for a narrative to develop, long series "are becoming increasingly rare." South Africa "are not due to play another four-Test series until they travel to England in 2017" (LONDON TIMES, 11/17).