The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has committed to staging at least one Ashes Test in the north of England in every home series from 2031 through 2039, following criticism over the absence of Headingley and Old Trafford from the 2027 schedule.
Neither of English cricket’s two major northern Test grounds will host Australia in 2027, when the Utilita Bowl will stage an Ashes Test for the first time. The decision attracted criticism, including from England Test Captain Ben Stokes, who described the schedule as “shambolic”.
The next home Ashes in 2031 will mark a change, with both Yorkshire and Lancashire allocated matches. ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould has now extended that commitment further, guaranteeing a northern Ashes Test in the subsequent 2035 and 2039 series as well.
ECB faces Ashes venue balancing act
England’s pool of Test grounds has narrowed, creating competition among venues for five matches in an Ashes series.
Speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Cricket podcast, Gould said: “We used to have nine Test match venues, we’ve now got seven. So, when we’ve got five Ashes Tests, we do want to make sure that it goes around the country in a relatively fair manner.”
Headingley and Old Trafford were both part of the 2023 Ashes programme, but neither will feature when Australia next tours England for the series four years later.
Gould added: “There are no Test matches in the north in 2027. Going forward to 2039, yes, there will always be an Ashes Test match in the north.”
The commitment gives Headingley and Old Trafford a defined place in the ECB’s longer-term Ashes planning, even though individual allocations beyond 2031 were not specified in the supplied material.
Gould continued: “The pattern has always been to make sure that there’s always an Ashes Test at either Headingley or at Old Trafford.”
ECB open to behind-the-scenes series
The discussion also moved beyond scheduling as Gould addressed the prospect of opening up England cricket to a documentary production.
Behind-the-scenes sports series have become established projects for major streaming platforms, with productions following Formula One, football clubs and the Australian men’s cricket team. Australia’s The Test, in particular, has provided access to the national side across three seasons, including Ashes campaigns against England.
Gould said: “A peek behind the curtain is often what people want to see. If there’s any Netflix or Amazon (representatives) out there with deep pockets that want to make us an offer, we’d be pleased to have those discussions.”
Gould also addressed what would need to be considered if those discussions progressed. He noted: “But there’s also that balance between wanting to ensure the players and staff have a private environment to do their job. Maybe there’s a different way of doing it now.”
No documentary agreement has been announced, but Gould’s comments leave the ECB open to discussions should a major streaming platform pursue a project.
For the board’s Ashes strategy, however, the commitment is clearer: after the 2027 series takes place without a northern Test, the region is set to return to the rotation in 2031 and retain representation through the home series scheduled for 2035 and 2039.
