Cardiff to stage first Test in next season's Ashes

Cardiff will stage the first Test of next summer's Ashes series, and Hampshire's Rose Bowl will also host a Test match for the first time in 2011, the England and Wales Cricket Board have announced.

The ECB have released the schedule for the 2009 Ashes, which will see Sophia Gardens make its debut as a Test venue. The first npower Test in the five-match series starts on 8 July.

The Rose Bowl will become the country's 10th Test venue two summers later when it hosts the second game of the three-match series against Sri Lanka, with Cardiff staging the first Test.

Reacting to the announcement of the Ashes schedule, ECB chief executive David Collier said: "Already there is great expectation surrounding the npower Ashes Test Series, which will follow the 2009 Twenty20 World Championships in an exciting summer of cricket.

"We have been in full consultation with the England management about the structure of the series and our summer programme in 2009 and this was ECB's preferred programme. I think everyone is now looking forward to the summer with relish."

Yesterday also saw the announcement of the Test match, one-day international, Twenty20 and domestic final schedule until the end of 2011. It was endorsed by the ECB board following recommendations from the independent Major Match Group, chaired by Lord Morris of Handsworth.

As well as a maiden Test in 2011, the Rose Bowl will stage one-day internationals against Australia for the next two summers.

Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove said: "This is a historic day for the Rose Bowl and Hampshire Cricket. We fully intend to be a permanent fixture on the Test match calendar."

Old Trafford is the loser with no Test planned there from 2009-11, although the venue for the first Test against Bangladesh in 2010 has yet to be confirmed.

MMG chairman Lord Morris said: "We were presented with a more than 200 excellent and professional bids for the ECB major matches until the end of the 2011 season.

"The MMG examined each against our balanced scorecard which rewards grounds for the excellence of their facilities. We have nominated the venues that were best suited and most deserved to be awarded the major matches."

* Jack Simmons has stepped down as Lancashire's chairman after holding the post for almost 11 years. Michael Cairns has been appointed his successor. Keith Hayhurst retains his role of vice chairman.

Major match schedule

*England v Australia. 2009 Ashes

8 July, 1st Test, Cardiff. 16 July, 2nd Test, Lord's. 30 July, 3rd Test, Edgbaston. 7 Aug, 4th Test. Headingley. 20 Aug, 5th Test. The Oval

One-day internationals: Rose Bowl, Lord's, The Oval, Lord's, Trent Bridge, Trent Bridge, Riverside.

Twenty20 internationals: Old Trafford (two matches)

*OTHER 2009 VENUES World Twenty20: Lord's, The Oval, Trent Bridge; World Twenty20 (women's) Taunton (group matches), Lord's (final); Tests v Zimbabwe (provisional – as Zimbabwe have not played Test cricket since September 2005 and are unlikely to return until they can prove they can be competitive at international level) Lord's, Riverside; ODIs v Zimbabwe Headingley, Edgbaston, Bristol Twenty20 Cup finals day Edgbaston; Friends Provident Trophy final Lord's.