Durham host 2013 Ashes Test

Durham have been awarded the first Ashes Test match to be staged at the Riverside in 2013 after the England and Wales Cricket Board accepted the recommendation of the independent Major Match Group.

The MMG, chaired by Lord Morris of Handsworth, also confirmed an Ashes Test match at the Brit Oval for 2013 as a part of their long term staging agreement which leaves three other Ashes Tests on offer that year and bids will be invited to host those matches.

Durham first staged Test match cricket at the Chester-le-Street ground in 2003 and England have won all four Test matches staged there including the npower Test against the West Indies in May. Durham have also been awarded a Test match against Sri Lanka in 2016.

Hampshire's Rose Bowl, already awarded a Test against Sri Lanka in 2011, will host an India Test match in 2014 along with Old Trafford and the Brit Oval. There is one further Test match against India in 2014 available for bidding.

Durham was awarded the Ashes Test under the MMG's new system of awarding Major Match Packages to grounds which do not have long term staging agreements. The reason for the introduction of these packages was to allow grounds to attract finance by demonstrating a 'certainty of supply' of games for the period running from 2012 to 2016 for a fixed fee. This allows venues to develop their facilities to world class status which is a priority of the Board.

Each package consisted of 11 match days while a category B venue would be guaranteed three match days. The packages could include Test matches, One Day Internationals, T20 internationals and/or domestic twenty20 finals day.

Each venue also had to provide a submission document which outlined what added value they would bring to the event in terms of environment. social inclusion, legacy and innovation among others. Venues were asked to state their preference of the packages on offer.

There are still matches open to bid and these include three Ashes Tests in 2013 and 2016 as well as five ODIs against Australia in 2012, three in 2013 and four in 2016. There is also one Test against India in 2011 and the neutral Test matches between Pakistan and Australia next year.

The allocations are (not in match order):

2010

Bangladesh Tests: Headingley Carnegie
Bangladesh ODIs: Bristol, Edgbaston, Trent Bridge
Pakistan Tests: Edgbaston, Lord's, The Brit Oval and Trent Bridge
Pakistan ODIs: Durham, Headingley Carnegie, Lord's, Rose Bowl, The Brit Oval
Australia ODIs: Cardiff, Old Trafford, Lord's, Rose Bowl, The Brit Oval
Domestic T20 final: Rose Bowl
To allocate: Pakistan v Australia (2 Tests, 2 T20s)
England v Pakistan (2 T20s)

2011

Sri Lanka Tests: Cardiff, Lord's, Rose Bowl
Sri Lanka ODIs: Edgbaston, Headingley Carnegie, Old Trafford, The Brit Oval, Trent Bridge
India Tests: Edgbaston, Lord's, The Brit Oval, Trent Bridge
India ODIs: Cardiff, Durham,Lord's, Rose Bowl, The Brit Oval
Domestic T20 final: Durham
To allocate: T20 v Sri Lanka; T20 v India

2012

West Indies Tests: Edgbaston, Trent Bridge
West Indies ODIs: Cardiff, Headingley Carnegie, The Brit Oval
South Africa Tests: Headingley Carnegie, The Brit Oval
South Africa ODIs: Cardiff, Rose Bowl, Trent Bridge
South Africa T20: Old Trafford
Domestic T20 final: Lord's
To allocate: Test match and 1 T20 v West Indies; 1 Test match v South Africa; 5 ODIs v Australia

2013

New Zealand Tests: Headingley Carnegie, Lord's
New Zealand ODIs: Rose Bowl, The Brit Oval
Australia Tests: Durham, The Brit Oval
Australia ODI: Cardiff, Edgbaston, Headingley Carnegie, Rose Bowl
Australia T20: Trent Bridge x 2
To allocate: 3 Test matches and 3 ODIs v Australia; domestic T20 finals day.

2014

Sri Lanka Tests: Cardiff, Headingley Carnegie
Sri Lanka ODIs: The Brit Oval
Sri Lanka T20: Rose Bowl
India Tests: Old Trafford, Rose Bowl, The Brit Oval
India ODIs: Cardiff, Edgbaston, Headingley, Trent Bridge
Domestic Twenty20 final: Edgbaston
To allocate: 1 ODI v Sri Lanka; 1 Test, 3 ODIs and 1 T20 v India.

2015

New Zealand Tests: Headingley Carnegie
New Zealand ODIs: Cardiff, Edgbaston, The Brit Oval
Pakistan Tests: Old Trafford, The Brit Oval
Pakistan ODIs Edgbaston, Headingley Carnegie, Rose Bowl, Trent Bridge
Domestic Twenty20 finals: Durham
To allocate: 2 Test matches, 2 ODIs and 1 T20 v NZ; 1 T20 v Pakistan

2016

Sri Lanka Tests: Durham
Sri Lanka ODIs: Rose Bowl, The Brit Oval
Australia Tests:Lord's, The Oval
Australia T20: Cardiff , Trent Bridge
Domestic T20 finals: Edgbaston
To allocate:1 ODI v Sri Lanka; 3 Tests, 4 ODIs v Australia