Australia avoids site of embarrassing Ashes losses
Trent Bridge – the English venue that hosted one of Australia’s most embarrassing defeats – has again been overlooked for future Ashes Tests.
England players celebrate winning the Ashes at Trent Bridge in 2015. Photo: Nick Potts/PA Wire
The Nottingham ground was missing from the list of host venues when the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed their schedule for the 2023 series on Thursday (AEDT).
The ECB instead opted to stick with the hosts of the 2019 series – Edgbaston, Headingley, The Oval, Lord’s and Manchester’s Old Trafford.
Australia have lost their past three matches at Trent Bridge, including in 2015 when bowled out for 60 before slumping to an innings and 78-run loss.
As a consolation, Trent Bridge was awarded hosting rights for Test matches in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024.
The Ageas Bowl in Southampton, which was widely expected to be named as one of the five hosts for the 2023 series, and Cardiff were also conspicuous absentees.
Australia came within a whisker of victory at Cardiff in 2009 but slumped to a 169-run loss in their most recent visit in 2015.
The Ageas Bowl has never hosted an Ashes Test.
Australia have won only four of their 20 Tests in England since 2005 – twice at Lord’s and once each at The Oval and Headingley.
Meanwhile, the ECB confirmed the eight teams for the new T20 competition will be based out of the five 2019 Ashes venues, plus Trent Bridge, Ageas Bowl and Cardiff.
Gloucestershire, Durham, Glamorgan and Hampshire will host England one-day internationals at their grounds between 2020 and 2024, with the latter two also set to stage T20 internationals.
– PA
