Cardiff to host 2009 Ashes series opener

Welsh city Cardiff will host the opening Test of the 2009 Ashes series between Australia and England. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced the schedule for next year’s highly anticipated series, with Cardiff set to host its first ever Test at the redeveloped Swalec Stadium on July 8.

The Australians will be looking for a repeat of their 2007 series whitewash on home soil in the series, which also includes Tests at London venues Lord’s and The Oval, Edgbaston in Birmingham and Headingley in Leeds.

Kevin Pietersen, a member of England’s victorious team in 2005, said he was looking forward to hosting Australia again.

“The 2009 Ashes Series promises some great cricket, at some great venues and no doubt some tough challenges along the way,” he said.

“I’m pleased that interest in cricket continues to grow and the spectators can look forward to another thrilling Ashes duel – arguably the biggest cricket contest of them all.”

Tickets for the first Test go on sale in October.

Cardiff was controversially chosen ahead of Manchester’s Old Trafford when the Ashes venues were unveiled in 2006 ahead of today’s fixture announcement.

The Welsh ground, on the Sophia Gardens site, was awarded Test match status in April of that year and a multi-million-dollar redevelopment has boosted capacity from 5,500 to 15,643.

Cardiff received a further boost today with news Australia will return to South Wales for a one-day international in 2010, with India playing a one-dayer there in 2011.

The ECB also revealed today Hampshire’s Rose Bowl would stage a Test against Sri Lanka in 2011.

The Southampton venue, which opened in 2001, will become England’s 10th Test ground when it hosts one game of a two-Test series, with Cardiff hosting the other.