Stadiums announced for 2021-22 Ashes series

England’s men and women’s cricket teams will tour Australia this summer in the latest instalment of the Ashes. Both Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have confirmed the schedules which get underway in December 2021.

The men’s side will contest the traditional five-match Test series while the women’s team will play a multi-format series consisting of a single test match, three T20Is and three ODIs. Points will be available for both the white and red ball matches and decide who comes out on top.

The tour will be a cornerstone of the Australian sporting calendar this summer. The prospects of a win on home soil for the men’s team look promising too. Unibet Australia are one of the leading betting sites and already have their series winner odds available. England are 3.0 outsiders to come out on top with Australia priced at 1.65. A draw across the five-match series is available at 7.50, that’s also a result that would see the hosts retain the urn given they are the current holders.

Although most international cricket has been played in bio bubbles over the past 18 months, the men’s Test series will be played across five venues as usual and include the traditional Boxing Day fixture at the MCG. In a significant change, the SCG won’t host the final Test this summer, with the series to conclude at Perth’s Optus Stadium. The full schedule is as follows:

• First Test – The Gabba, Brisbane (8-12th December 2021)
• Second Test (Day/Night) – Adelaide Oval (16-20th December 2021)
• Third Test – Melbourne Cricket Ground (26-30th December 2021)
• Fourth Test – Sydney Cricket Ground (5-9th January 2022)
• Fifth Test – Optus Stadium, Perth (14-18th January 2022)

The last Ashes series was an enthralling encounter that finished in a 2-2 draw in England, the first time that the series had been drawn since 1972. As Australia were the holders prior to the 2019 edition, they will come into this year’s series as the reigning champions.

Steve Smith will be expected to dominate with the bat once more. The 31-year-old piled the runs up in England two years ago, plundering a total of 774 across the five-match series. That tally from the former Aussie captain was over 330 more runs than any other player from either side could produce. Pat Cummins starred with the ball, taking 29 wickets.

Perhaps the moment of the series though, belonged to an Englishman. Ben Stokes hit 135* in the third Test at Headingley, leading England to a remarkable one wicket victory that seemed nearly impossible after being bowled out for just 67 in their first innings with the bat.

Although the women’s tour will not take in as many venues as their male counterparts, it will still be spread across several famous cricket stadiums. The tour won’t get underway until the men’s competition has concluded, allowing audiences to see the rivalry continue well into 2022. Here’s how the schedule looks for the multi-format series.

• Only Test match – Manuka Oval, Canberra (27-30th January 2022)
• 1st T20I – North Sydney Oval, Sydney (4th February 2022)
• 2nd T20I – North Sydney Oval, Sydney (6th February 2022)
• 3rd T20I – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (10th February 2022)
• 1st ODI – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (13th February 2022)
• 2nd ODI – Junction Oval, Melbourne (16th February 2022)
• 3rd ODI – Junction Oval, Melbourne (19th February 2022)

Australia hold the Women’s Ashes too, having dominated the recent meetings between the two teams. The 2019 win which came by an emphatic points margin of 12-4 means England haven’t held the title since 2014. The points system is as follows; a Test victory earns four points (two each in the event of a draw) while each white ball match is worth two points to the winning team.