Australia and England will play a one-off Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2027 to commemorate 150 years of Test cricket. The two teams featured in the first ever Test at the same venue back in 1877 and then in 1977, played the centenary Test to mark 100 years of the format, which was won by Australia.
Cricket Australia and the state governments also confirmed that the annual Boxing Day Test and the New Year's Test have been locked in to be hosted at the usual venues, MCG and the SCG, up until 2030-31.
The other significant announcement was that of handing Perth the rights to host the opening Test of the summer for the next three years. That would mean the Ashes will kickstart at a venue other than the Gabba in Brisbane for the first time in more than four decades.
The Adelaide Oval will host the December Christmas Test for the next seven years in either day or the day-night format. Even though the next Ashes Test in Adelaide in 2025-26 is scheduled to be a day game, the venue has hosted pink-ball Tests in recent times.
"We are delighted to confirm long-term hosting rights which provide certainty around the locations of some fantastic cricket over the next seven years," CA CEO Nick Hockley said. "We are confident this schedule ensures the best cricket will be played in the best venues at the right times across the country, including a fantastic mix of iconic Test matches, new blockbusters such as the West Test and Christmas Test and exciting day-night fixtures.
"The 150th anniversary Test match at the MCG in March 2027 will be a wonderful celebration of the pinnacle format of the game at one of the world's great sporting arenas and we can't wait to host England on that occasion."
