LONDON — India will play five Tests in England for the first time since 1959 during next year's tour, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Monday. The tour schedule also sees 50-over world champion India, which beat England by five runs in the Champions Trophy final at Edgbaston in June, involved in five One-Day Internationals and a One-Day International. Three of the five Tests will be played at southern venues, Lord's and the Oval in London plus Southampton's Rose Bowl although, as the latter is a relatively new international ground, the Test there is still subject to confirmation following an ECB inspection visit. Nottingham's Trent Bridge in the English Midlands will stage the first Test with the fourth at Manchester's Old Trafford in the north of the country. Bowlers on both sides may be concerned by a schedule which sees five Tests due to be crammed into the space of just over a month. “This will be the first time England has hosted India in a five Test series in more than 50 years and the length of the series reflects the iconic status which contests between these two great cricketing nations now enjoy,” said ECB Chief Executive David Collier in a statement issued Monday. “We thank the BCCI for their support and also our international venues who between them helped bring a record number of spectators — more than 850,000 — to international cricket over the course of the season when India last toured here in 2011.” England beat India 2-1 in India in a Test series last year — Alastair Cook's first as full-time England captain — before sharing a two-match Twenty20 series and then losing a five-match one-day campaign 3-2. 2014 tour of England: Jul 09-13: 1st Test, Trent Bridge; Jul 17-21: 2nd Test, Lord's; Jul 27-31: 3rd Test, Rose Bowl; Aug. 07-11: 4th Test, Old Trafford; Aug. 15-19: 5th Test, The Oval; Aug. 22: 50-over match, vs. Middlesex, Lord's; Aug. 25: 1st ODI, Bristol; Aug. 27: 2nd ODI, Cardiff; Aug. 30: 3rd ODI ,Trent Bridge; Sept. 02: 4th ODI, Edgbaston; Sept. 05: 5th ODI, Headingley; Sept. 07: T20, Edgbaston. India to trim SA tour India's reluctance to undertake a full tour of South Africa from November appears to have dashed the host's hopes of cashing in on the popularity of the reigning world champions. South Africa released in July a proposed 12-match schedule for a tour by India, including three Tests, seven ODIs and two T20 matches. But India has belatedly invited the West Indies to tour in November and also brought forward the start of a January visit to New Zealand, greatly reducing the time available for matches in South Africa. Reports from India suggest the schedule could be almost halved to seven matches — two Tests, three ODIs and two T20 games. Indian officials were unhappy when South Africa released the 12-match itinerary, calling it a “unilateral” action lacking their consent. New Zealand tour shortened New Zealand Cricket, meanwhile, Monday announced a shortened schedule for its home series against India after reports that the visitors wanted to keep the tour as brief as possible. NZC said India would play two Tests and five one-dayers against the Black Caps between Jan. 19 and Feb. 18, in the first tour by the world No. 2 Test nation since 2009. Under the ICC's Future Tours Programme, the trip was supposed to include three Tests, five one-dayers and one T20 in February and March. However, India was reportedly keen to curtail the visit so it can participate in the Asia Cup, which begins in late February. It is not clear whether NZC will receive compensation from the BCCI for potential revenue foregone after games are cut. — Agencies
