Australia's tour of NZ announced

Australia will have the chance to win back the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy next February as part of a Test and one-day international tour across the Tasman.

New Zealand Cricket and Cricket Australia announced today that the Aussies will play a three-match ODI series against the Black Caps early next year ahead of two Tests.

The ODIs will be played in Auckland (February 3), Wellington (February 6) and Hamilton (February 8), and Tests will be played in Wellington (February 12-16) and Christchurch (February 20-24).

The tour will come hot on the heels of the three-match Commonwealth Bank Test series against the Black Caps in November.

New Zealand’s improved performances over the last two years - which have seen them rise in the Test and ODI rankings and play off against Australia in the World Cup final in March – should ensure a summer of pulsating trans-Tasman rivalry.

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Steve Smith hits the winning runs in the World Cup final // Getty Images

New Zealand Test captain Brendon McCullum said he was looking forward to meeting Australia at home and away in the same summer.

"It's going to be a great series. The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy is really special to us," McCullum said.

"Australia have so much talent and so much depth, they won't be an easy team to knock over. Playing them in their own conditions will be very, very difficult and then we come back here, where we've got a pretty good track record of late."

Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket have made a commitment to stage six Chappell-Hadlee Trophy ODI series over the next four years.

Each series will be three matches – a total of 18 games in the time frame – with New Zealand to host four series, starting in early 2016, and Australia two others.

The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy was contested for the first time in more than four years when New Zealand defeated Australia in their World Cup pool match in Auckland.

Prior to that, the trophy had been in Cricket Australia's Jolimont office since Australia beat the Black Caps in Nagpur at the 2011 World Cup.

The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy was introduced in 2004 and contested at least once a year until the Nagpur clash in 2011.

Despite losing the World Cup title to Australia, the Black Caps held on to the trophy, which was not in contention for the March 29 final at the MCG.

The last time Australia toured New Zealand in 2009-10 they drew the Twenty20 series 1-1, took out the ODI series 3-2, and completed two comprehensive Test victories.

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Ricky Ponting's team celebrates a wicket in 2010 // Getty Images

In Wellington, tons to Michael Clarke (168) and Marcus North (112no) gave Australia a first-innings total of 459, before the Black Caps were rolled for 157 as Doug Bollinger collected 5-28.

Forced to follow on by Ricky Ponting, New Zealand managed to put together 407 in their second dig thanks to Brendon McCullum’s 104, but Australia chased the required 106 without loss.

Then, in Hamilton, a century from Simon Katich helped Australia overcome a first-innings deficit to set the Black Caps a target of 479 at Seddon Park, before Mitchell Johnson collected 6-73 was the hosts were bowled out 176 runs shy of their target.

The Qantas tour of New Zealand will slot in between Australia’s limited-overs series against India in January, and three Twenty20s in South Africa in early March.

Fitness permitting, Brendon McCullum is set to become the first cricketer to play 100 consecutive Tests since debut in the Wellington Test.

New Zealand's 2015-16 summer schedule will also see them host Sri Lanka in two Tests, five ODIs and two T20s, and Pakistan in three T20s and three ODIs.

Qantas Tour of New Zealand

Feb 3: First ODI v New Zealand, Auckland (Eden Park)
Feb 6: Second ODI v New Zealand, Wellington (Wellington Regional Stadium)
Feb 8: Third ODI v New Zealand, Hamilton (Seddon Park)
Feb 12-16: First Test v New Zealand, Wellington (Basin Reserve)
Feb 20-24: Second Test v New Zealand, Christchurch (Hagley Oval)

Sri Lanka's Tour of New Zealand

Dec 10-14: First Test v New Zealand, Dunedin (University Oval)
Dec 18-22: Second Test v New Zealand, Hamilton (Seddon Park)
Dec 26: First ODI v New Zealand, Christchurch (Hagley Oval)
Dec 28: Second ODI v New Zealand, Christchurch (Hagley Oval)
Dec 31: Third ODI v New Zealand, Nelson (Saxton Oval)
Jan 2: Fourth ODI v New Zealand, Nelson (Saxton Oval)
Jan 5: Fifth ODI v New Zealand, Mt Maunganui (Bay Oval)
Jan 7: First T20 v New Zealand, Mt Maunganui (Bay Oval)
Jan 10: Second T20 v New Zealand, Auckland (Eden Park)

Pakistan's Tour of New Zealand

Jan 15: First T20 v New Zealand, Auckland (Eden Park)
Jan 17: Second T20 v New Zealand, Hamilton (Seddon Park)
Jan 22: Third T20 v New Zealand, Wellington (Wellington Regional Stadium)
Jan 25: First ODI v New Zealand, Wellington (Basin Reserve)
Jan 28: Second ODI v New Zealand, Napier (McLean Park)
Jan 31: Third ODI v New Zealand, Auckland (Eden Park)