England's Probable Test Schedule till January 2014

Not all confirmed, but its our probable schedule:

Pakistan Away (2 Tests left)
Sri Lanka Away (2 Tests)
Windies Home (2/3 Tests)
South Africa Home (4 Tests)
India Away (4 Tests)
NZ Away (3 Tests)
Warm-Up for Ashes 2013 Home (Probably NZ, 3 Tests probable)
2013 Ashes (5 Tests)
2013/4 Ashes (5 Tests)

How much of this can England do? 32 Tests in 2 years puts India to shame!

Duty281 wrote:Not all confirmed, but its our probable schedule:

Pakistan Away (2 Tests left)
Sri Lanka Away (2 Tests)
Windies Home (2/3 Tests)
South Africa Home (4 Tests)
India Away (4 Tests)
NZ Away (3 Tests)
Warm-Up for Ashes 2013 Home (Probably NZ, 3 Tests probable)
2013 Ashes (5 Tests)
2013/4 Ashes (5 Tests)

How much of this can England do? 32 Tests in 2 years puts India to shame!

I know India aren't the flavour of the month, but why dig them for the sake of it?

England vs SA is only 3 Tests

Demon Racer wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Not all confirmed, but its our probable schedule:

Pakistan Away (2 Tests left)
Sri Lanka Away (2 Tests)
Windies Home (3 Tests)
South Africa Home (3 Tests)
India Away (4 Tests)
NZ Away (3 Tests)
Warm-Up for Ashes 2013 Home (Probably NZ, 3 Tests probable)
2013 Ashes (5 Tests)
2013/4 Ashes (5 Tests)

How much of this can England do? 32 Tests in 2 years puts India to shame!

I know India aren't the flavour of the month, but why dig them for the sake of it?

England vs SA is only 3 Tests

Really, only 3? Should be 2 against the Windies and 4 against the Saffers. Ah well, thanks for pointing it out.

Duty281 wrote:

Demon Racer wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Not all confirmed, but its our probable schedule:

Pakistan Away (2 Tests left)
Sri Lanka Away (2 Tests)
Windies Home (3 Tests)
South Africa Home (3 Tests)
India Away (4 Tests)
NZ Away (3 Tests)
Warm-Up for Ashes 2013 Home (Probably NZ, 3 Tests probable)
2013 Ashes (5 Tests)
2013/4 Ashes (5 Tests)

How much of this can England do? 32 Tests in 2 years puts India to shame!

I know India aren't the flavour of the month, but why dig them for the sake of it?

England vs SA is only 3 Tests

Really, only 3? Should be 2 against the Windies and 4 against the Saffers. Ah well, thanks for pointing it out.

I was very disappointed, back in 2008 it was 4 Tests, as was 2009/10 in SA. ICC said that Eng-SA can be contested over 5 Tests, but I guess both boards aren't keen on this.

It's all about the money and playing 3 T20s generates money sadly.

I thought it was something to do with being a similar time to the olympics? may be wrong though

Yep, correct hodge, it is because of the use of Lord's for the Olympics, I believe.

England vs South Africa should be at least four, preferably five in my eyes. Always provide great entertainment and skill levels, and is a very well received series by the public over here, second only to the Ashes.

Fists of Fury wrote:Yep, correct hodge, it is because of the use of Lord's for the Olympics, I believe.

But we are still playing a Test at Lords. Wouldn't it have been possible to play 3 Tests in the North plus the Lord Tests?

Its only 3 more tests than India have played in the last 2 years.

10 Ashes tests in 9 months? Really?

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Its only 3 more tests than India have played in the last 2 years.

10 Ashes tests in 9 months? Really?

The Ashes Series' are back-to-back. So July-Aug is the 5 tests in England and the following Nov-Jan is the 5 tests in Australia.

Yeah I know I just find it overkill. I know its the premier series but with less test cricket in general played now we seem to play Aus a heck of a lot. Its 30% of our tests in that 2 year period, and 20 in less than 5 years.

Whats the situation with Zimbabwe now? Are England obliged to play them at some point in the next few years?

3 tests against South Africa is just wrong. Should be a fiver really.

Even more of a pity because that series could be decideing whos the number one ranked team.

Handy for England that they are avoiding Aus just when they seem to have gotten their act together though. Id guess Strauss is targetting the home 2013 Ashes as his farewell. Lets just hope he can justify a place in the team by the time that rolls around.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Even more of a pity because that series could be decideing whos the number one ranked team.

Handy for England that they are avoiding Aus just when they seem to have gotten their act together though. Id guess Strauss is targetting the home 2013 Ashes as his farewell. Lets just hope he can justify a place in the team by the time that rolls around.

Let's hope Ponting makes the tour as well. Would love to see him return and perhaps receive some applause

Stella wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Even more of a pity because that series could be decideing whos the number one ranked team.

Handy for England that they are avoiding Aus just when they seem to have gotten their act together though. Id guess Strauss is targetting the home 2013 Ashes as his farewell. Lets just hope he can justify a place in the team by the time that rolls around.

Let's hope Ponting makes the tour as well. Would love to see him return and perhaps receive some applause

a comemerative medal from Gary Pratt


Joking aside Im sure he'd want to win the Ashes back. Its the real blemish on his reputation and record that not only did he lose them twice but currently has failed to get them back. To go to England and regain them would exorsize a lot of demons.
Bit like Tendulkar getting a century in Aus.

I think I might know where Punter would stick it.

Looking at the scheduling of test series over the past few years and what is coming up for most test nations, you would think the priority of test cricket really lies with england vs Australia, which in my view is very dissappointing.

South Africa has been a main contender for some time now and why is it we continually only get shortened test seires against those two nations.

Who is sleeping on this, surely something has to be done about it.

I understand people believe a T20 match draws crowds and brings in money, but surely a five day test collectively over 5 days do not bring in less revenue than a 5 day test?

The Ashes back-to-back situation is ridiculous in my opinion and completely commercially driven. They claim it was 'the only way around not having the Ashes in a World Cup year' but actually this could be done by having the next series in 2013, 2015/16 and 2017 rather than the commercially driven plan to hold them in 2013, 2013/14, 2015, 2017/18 and 2019. I guess the problem was that the Aussies couldn't agree to having an extra year before the next Ashes down under and we were quite happy to accept 2 Ashes in 3 years to boost our coffers as a result.

The actual provisional schedule with one-dayers is:

Jan - Feb 2012 Away v Pakistan (3 Tests, 4 ODIs, 3 T20Is)
Mar - Apr 2012 Away v Sri Lanka (2 Tests)
May - Jun 2012 Home v West Indies (3 Tests, 3 ODIs, 1 T20I)
Jun - Jul 2012 Home v Australia (5 ODIs)
Jul - Sep 2012 Home v South Africa (3 Tests, 5 ODIs, 3 T20Is)
Sep - Oct 2012 World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka (2 - 7 T20Is)
Nov 2012 - Jan 2013 Away v India (4 Tests, 7 ODIs, 1 T20I)
Feb - Mar 2013 Away v New Zealand (3 Tests, 5 ODIs, 1 T20I)
May 2013 Home v New Zealand (2 Tests)
May - June 2013 Champions Trophy in England (3 - 5 ODIs)*
June - Sep 2013 Home v Australia (5 Tests, 5 ODIs, 2 T20Is)
Sep 2013 Home v New Zealand (5 ODIs)
Nov 2013 - Jan 2014 Away v Australia (5 Tests, 5 ODIs, 3 T20Is)
Feb - Mar 2014 Away v West Indies (5 ODIs and 1 T20I)
Apr 2014 World Twenty20 in Bangladesh (2 - 7 T20Is)
May - June 2014 Home v Sri Lanka (2 Tests, 5 ODIs and 1 T20I)
June - Sep 2014 Home v India (5 Tests, 5 ODIs and 1 T20I)
Nov 2014 Away v Sri Lanka (5 ODIs and 2 T20Is)
Jan - Feb 2015 Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia (8 - 11 ODIs v Australia and India)
Feb - Mar 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand (6 - 9 ODIs)
Apr 2015 Away v West Indies (3 Tests)
May - June 2015 - Home v New Zealand (2 Tests, 5 ODIs and 1 T20I)
Jun - Sep 2015 Home v Australia (5 Tests, 5 ODIs and 1 T20I)

Ridiculous schedule....

* Test Championship not completely ruled out to replace this