England Ashes schedule announced(05-Feb-2010)
England will play three warm-up matches before the first Test on next winter's Ashes tour.
England's previous visit Down Under saw them hammered 5-0 with some critics blaming a lack of game time prior to the series starting as a key factor.
But Andrew Strauss' side, who won the Ashes back last summer, will play two three-day games, against Western Australia and South Australia, and one four-day game, against Australia A, before the opening Test in Brisbane on November 25.
England will also face Victoria in a three-day game in between the second Test at Adelaide Oval and the third Test at the WACA Ground.
"England certainly wanted to have a good strong preparation adjusting to the Australian environment," said Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland.
"They had a pretty good preparation last time during the 2006/07 summer and I think that's the least we can do is to offer that opportunity."
England will also meet Australia in seven one-day internationals following the conclusion of the Test series.
But Sutherland denied such an elongated series could prove a turn-off and even suggested it would provide fewer matches for the tourists than on the 2006/07 trip.
"The last time England toured it was a tri-series, they actually played in the finals, so they would have ended up playing about 10 one-day matches during that series so it's actually slightly less than what they have done (in the past)," he said.
"Australia and England are very conscious of the fact that this is a World Cup season and there's probably no better preparation for both of us than playing England in Australia."
Full tour schedule
November 5-7, 2010 v Western Australia, Perth
November 11-13, 2010 v South Australia, Adelaide
November, 17-20 2010 v Australia A, Hobart
December 10-12, 2010 v Victoria, Melbourne
January 10, 2011 v PM's XI, Canberra
Ashes series
November 25-29, 2010, Brisbane
December 3-7, 2010, Adelaide
December 16-20, 2010, Perth
December 26-30, 2010, Melbourne
January 3-7 2011, Sydney
Twenty20 internationals
January 12, 2011, Adelaide
January 14, 2011, Melbourne
One-day internationals
January 16, 2011, Melbourne
January 21, 2011, Hobart
January 23, 2011, Sydney
January 26, 2011, Adelaide
January 30, 2011, Brisbane
February 2, 2011, Sydney
February 6, 2011, Perth
England's previous visit Down Under saw them hammered 5-0 with some critics blaming a lack of game time prior to the series starting as a key factor.
But Andrew Strauss' side, who won the Ashes back last summer, will play two three-day games, against Western Australia and South Australia, and one four-day game, against Australia A, before the opening Test in Brisbane on November 25.
England will also face Victoria in a three-day game in between the second Test at Adelaide Oval and the third Test at the WACA Ground.
"England certainly wanted to have a good strong preparation adjusting to the Australian environment," said Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland.
"They had a pretty good preparation last time during the 2006/07 summer and I think that's the least we can do is to offer that opportunity."
England will also meet Australia in seven one-day internationals following the conclusion of the Test series.
But Sutherland denied such an elongated series could prove a turn-off and even suggested it would provide fewer matches for the tourists than on the 2006/07 trip.
"The last time England toured it was a tri-series, they actually played in the finals, so they would have ended up playing about 10 one-day matches during that series so it's actually slightly less than what they have done (in the past)," he said.
"Australia and England are very conscious of the fact that this is a World Cup season and there's probably no better preparation for both of us than playing England in Australia."
Full tour schedule
November 5-7, 2010 v Western Australia, Perth
November 11-13, 2010 v South Australia, Adelaide
November, 17-20 2010 v Australia A, Hobart
December 10-12, 2010 v Victoria, Melbourne
January 10, 2011 v PM's XI, Canberra
Ashes series
November 25-29, 2010, Brisbane
December 3-7, 2010, Adelaide
December 16-20, 2010, Perth
December 26-30, 2010, Melbourne
January 3-7 2011, Sydney
Twenty20 internationals
January 12, 2011, Adelaide
January 14, 2011, Melbourne
One-day internationals
January 16, 2011, Melbourne
January 21, 2011, Hobart
January 23, 2011, Sydney
January 26, 2011, Adelaide
January 30, 2011, Brisbane
February 2, 2011, Sydney
February 6, 2011, Perth