Adelaide Oval will host a historic day-night Ashes Test next December with Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) agreeing to the concept.
Announcing next summer’s international fixtures on Tuesday (December 13), CA confirmed the much-anticipated pink-ball Test will be played for the third consecutive year in Adelaide from December 2.
It will be the second Test of the traditional five-match series with the summer’s opener returning to the Gabba, which has long been Australia’s fortress. This summer, due to the Gabba hosting an inaugural day-night affair, the WACA hosted the first Test of the summer, which Australia lost to South Africa.
Perth will hold the third Test, which could be held at the new Perth Stadium located in Burswood, which has a capacity of 60,000, if it is completed on time. The traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests at the MCG and SCG respectively will remain in place
After the Ashes, there will be a five-match ODI series between Australia and England followed by a seven-match Trans-Tasman T20 International tri-series featuring Australia, England and New Zealand with the final to be played in Auckland.
With the Test summer starting in late November, a few weeks later than the current season’s schedule, it allows a full three rounds of the Sheffield Shield competition, including one day-night round, before the opening Test. Some critics attributed Australia’s series loss to South Africa due to the lack of first-class preparation.
James Sutherland, the CA chief executive, believed it was going to be an exciting summer ahead. “We recognise how big the Ashes is for both home and travelling fans, and the early announcement of the schedule for this series will allow fans here in Australia and abroad to plan their Ashes summer,” he said. “This schedule will allow for at least three Sheffield Shield matches to be completed as preparation prior to the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.
“The decision to start the international season in Brisbane, then moving to Adelaide, allows us to give Perth Stadium the best chance to host the Test match, so we can welcome an even bigger crowd to Perth next summer,” he added. “We’re really excited to announce that Adelaide will play host to the first ever Day-Night Ashes Test. We know how much Adelaide fans love this style of Test cricket. We’re expecting a full house next year in what is sure to be a great contest.”
Next summer will also a feature a women’s Ashes series. That, along with the domestic fixtures, is set to be released at a later date.
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