The England & Wales Cricket Board announced on Monday that England's bid to regain the Ashes next year "will begin with the first test at Cardiff's Sophia Gardens," according to Nick Mulvenney of REUTERS. Cardiff, which also hosted the Ashes opener in '09, "will get the five-test series underway from July 8-12 with matches following at Lord's, Edgbaston, Trent Bridge and the Oval." England will also play tests against New Zealand at Lord's and Headingley next year "along with five one-day internationals" and a Twenty20 int'l against both touring parties (REUTERS, 5/12). In London, Andy Wilson wrote Glamorgan CEO Hugh Morris "pointed to England's unbeaten record at the redeveloped Swalec Stadium, including a famous rearguard action in the first Test of the 2009 Ashes series, in rejecting criticism of the decision." The grounds capacity of around 16,000 means next year's series "will again start at its smallest venue." The announcement was also a reminder that there will be no Test north of Nottingham for the first time in an Ashes series, "provoking a fresh debate on social media" (GUARDIAN, 5/12). In Melbourne, Jesse Hogan wrote Australia's tour will, like last time, "begin with two four-day matches, starting on June 25 against Kent in Canterbury, and then on July 1 against Essex, the county of England captain Alastair Cook, in Chelmsford." The timing for next year's tour "is almost identical to the last, as the total duration of 48 days from the first to last Tests is just one more than last year" (THE AGE, 5/12). Click here to see England's full '15 home schedule.
