Lord's may not host Ashes test in 2013

[drainpipe32]

The Ashes: Durham give Test in 2013 but Lord's status remains unclear

Lord's, the most prestigious cricket stadium in the country, has yet to be confirmed as a venue for that Ashes same series.

Hampshire and Glamorgan, who have been granted Tests in 2014 and 2015 respectively, can both be delighted with the latest match allocations released on Thursday by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

But there is less good news for the MCC, whose match against New Zealand in June 2013 is the last Test they can count on hosting. The ECB's schedule does not feature any Tests at Lord's between 2014 and 2016, although they do still have six games to distribute over that period.

"We will bid for more matches as they become available," an MCC spokesman said yesterday. "It is unthinkable that England should play a summer of Test cricket without a match at Lord's. And while we understand that there are no guarantees of Test cricket, we hope to see it here."

Privately, MCC sources suggest that the new system of inviting competitive bids from nine different Test venues is threatening the primacy of Lord's as the home of cricket in England.

The Ashes: Durham give Test in 2013 but Lord's status remains unclear

Unheard of! Imagine an Ashes series without a test at Lord's? I know this is old, but it's the first I've heard of it. Maybe just England wanting to protect themselves from another 75 year losing streak

Even more interesting is that Lord's are no longer guaranteed to host a test match after June 2013, when England takes on New Zealand.

 

[IanG]

That'd be sacrilegious

 

[Iridium]

"We will bid for more matches as they become available," an MCC spokesman said yesterday. "It is unthinkable that England should play a summer of Test cricket without a match at Lord's. And while we understand that there are no guarantees of Test cricket, we hope to see it here."

Too right. Lord's is the home of cricket. It has so much history and many players dream of playing at Lord's. An Ashes series without it just wouldn't be the same.

 

[Prithvi]

Something ridiculous to see/Hear!.

 

[angryangy]

It was bad enough that they skipped Old Trafford and Trent Bridge last year.

 

[pcfan123]

Who were the last team to tour England for Tests and not play at Lords?

 

[IanG]

Hang on a sec. What's the date that this was posted?

 

[Prithvi]

April FOOL!!:laugh

Binnu added 0 Minutes and 41 Seconds later...

But Link destroys that thought:doh

 

[drainpipe32]

Haha this would have been an epic April Fool's

 

[kirby]

How can you not have a Test at Lord's?! It's the home of cricket. Ridiculous.