ECB unveils schedule for 2027 men’s and women’s home Ashes

London: England will begin their men’s Ashes campaign against Australia at Trent Bridge on June 18 next year, with the women’s team beginning their multi-format Ashes campaign from June 24, as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Thursday announced the full schedule for the 2027 series.

England Men will begin the five-Test series at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on June 18, returning to a venue where they have enjoyed recent Ashes success, winning each of the last three Tests played at the venue against Australia.

The series will then move to Lord’s, Edgbaston, and the Utilita Bowl, which will host a men’s Ashes Test for the first time, before concluding at The Kia Oval from July 29.

England Women will launch their campaign at Headingley on June 24, marking the first women’s Ashes Test in Leeds since 2001. The series will then continue with three T20Is at Trent Bridge, The Kia Oval, and Emirates Old Trafford before shifting to the ODI leg at the Utilita Bowl, Lord’s, and Edgbaston, where the final match will be played on July 20.

The rivalry between the two sides is expected to carry added significance after England Women shared the points in the previous home Ashes series against Australia and the two teams met in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final earlier this year.

In addition to the Ashes fixtures, the ECB and Cricket Australia have agreed to stage a four-day warm-up match between Australia and a full-strength England Lions side at Emirates Old Trafford from June 7 to 10. A similar fixture will be arranged in Australia when England tours there in 2029.

The ECB also confirmed that England’s men’s mixed disability team will take on Australia during the Ashes summer, with the schedule for those matches to be announced at a later date.

ECB Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould believes the 2027 schedule reflects both the prestige of the Ashes and the continued growth of the game across different formats.

“The Ashes is the pinnacle of our sport, and it is significant that next summer we will have three England teams playing against Australia at venues across the country. The last time Australia were here made for captivating cricket, in a way that only the Ashes can provide, as both of our men’s and women’s teams fought back to level the series in dramatic circumstances.

“Next summer will see the men’s team play an Ashes Test at the Utilita Bowl for the very first time, while the women’s team will play an Ashes Test at Headingley for the first time since 2001. It’s also important that this summer shines a light on every part of our cricketing landscape, and the inclusion of the England Men’s Mixed Disability team during an Ashes summer is a landmark moment,” Gould said in an ECB statement on Thursday. IANS

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