Southampton to host men's Ashes test for first time in 2027

Southampton to host men's Ashes test for first time in 2027 LONDON, July 23 : Southampton's Utilita Bowl will host a men's Ashes test for the first time next year with the men's and women's series against Australia again running concurrently, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Thursday. Trent Bridge will host the first men's test, starting on June 18, while the first match of the multi-format women's series, the sole test match, begins at Headingley on June 24. Southampton will host the fourth men's test starting on July 21. A packed summer of cricket in England will also include 10 ODIs for the England men's team while the final of the World Test Championship will take place at London's Oval. The men's and women's Ashes were also held at the same time in England in 2023, boosting crowds for the women's fixtures. "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," ECB Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould said in a statement. "Next summer will see the men's team play a Rothesay 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." England's men will start their home season with a five-match ODI series against Pakistan, starting at Southampton on May 15. England will also play a five-match ODI series against New Zealand later in the summer as well as a one-off test against Bangladesh starting at Lord's on May 28. The World Test Championship final will start on June 9 with the ECB confirming that the fixture will also be hosted in England in 2029 and 2031. Men's Ashes series: 1st test - June 18-22 - Trent Bridge 2nd test - June 30-July 4 - Lord's 3rd test - July 8-12 - Edgbaston 4th test - July 21-25 - Southampton 5th test - July 29-August 2 - London Oval.