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England to play tour match in Townsville

Joe Root's Ashes defence will take in the sweltering heat of north Queensland before the opening Gabba Test

England’s preparations for this summer’s Ashes will see them play tour matches in Perth, Adelaide and Townsville in the lead-up to the first Test at the Gabba.

Joe Root’s men will play three warm-up matches before the first Test gets underway in Brisbane on November 23, with a further tour match scheduled for the gap between the second and third Tests.

All matches will be streamed live via the Cricket Network

Their first official hit-out on Australian soil will come in the form of a two-day warm-up against a Western Australian XI at the WACA Ground – which was confirmed as the venue for the third Test earlier this month – from November 4-5.

They will then head to Adelaide Oval for a four-day day-night tour match against a Cricket Australia XI from November 8-11, giving them a chance to hone their skills against the pink ball which will be in use for the first ever day-night Ashes Test at the same venue from December 2.

England will then have a chance to acclimatise to the Queensland heat with a final four-day tour game – again taking on a CA XI but this time with the red ball - at Townsville’s Tony Ireland Stadium from November 15-18.

At the conclusion of the second Test in Adelaide, England will again head west for another two-day hit-out from December 9-10, ahead of the WACA fixture which begins on December 14.

That match will again see them take on a CA XI, with the venue in Perth yet to be confirmed.

England’s one-day international team will have one 50-over tour match to prepare for their five-game ODI series against Australia in January, to be played at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue in Sydney on January 11.

The first ODI will be played at the MCG on January 14.

While the schedule for the 2017-18 Sheffield Shield season has not been announced, Australian Test players are expected to have a full three rounds of red-ball cricket, including a day-night round, under their belts before the first Ashes Test gets underway.

England’s tour matches in Australia


November 4-5: v Western Australia XI, WACA Ground


November 8-11: v Cricket Australia XI, Adelaide Oval (day-night)


November 15-18: v CA XI, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville


December 9-10: v CA XI, Perth (TBC)


January 11: v CA XI, Sydney (TBC)


Ashes tickets are on sale now


Click the ‘Buy tickets’ link next to the match you wish to attend or visit cricket.com.au/tickets for more information


2017-18 International Fixtures:

Men's Ashes Series


First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets


Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets


Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Join the ACF


Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets


Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets


ODI Series v England


First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets


Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets


Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets


Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets


Fifth ODI WACA Ground, January 28. Join the ACF


Prime Minister's XI


PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets


T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series


First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets


Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets


Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets


Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14


Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16


Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18


Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21