A bumper Ashes summer for Australia’s men’s and women’s teams has been locked in, and includes an historic season-opening Test for the men.

For the first time since gaining Test status, Afghanistan will play a five-day match in Australia, with Hobart the venue for the inaugural red ball clash between the two nations.

That Test will also serve as crucial preparation for Australia’s men’s team ahead of the Ashes, which begin at the Gabba on December 8.

The order of venues has been shuffled for this summer too, with Melbourne’s traditional Boxing Day Test now the third match of the series and the SCG Test the fourth. Perth Stadium will host the fifth Test on January 14.

The Women’s Ashes will benefit from clear air on the schedule and will begin with a Test match at Canberra’s Manuka Oval on January 27.

Three T20s and three ODIs complete the multi-format Women’s Ashes series as Meg Lanning’s team bids to retain the urn again.

Australia’s women will look to retain the Ashes on home soil.(

Reuters: Matthew Childs

)

The women will tune up for the Ashes against touring India, though details of that series have yet to be confirmed.

T20s and ODIs against New Zealand and Sri Lanka in February round out a busy international summer for the men.

Cricket Australia is hopeful crowds will be permitted at near-capacity by the time the summer arrives, and even holds out slim hope of welcoming a small contingent of English fans.

“We would absolutely love for the English fans to come,” CA’s interim chief executive Nick Hockley said.

“We speak to the Barmy Army a lot and they would absolutely love to be here to support, but I think everyone understands the current situation.

“It’s pleasing to see the vaccine rollout in Australia, and it’s also encouraging to see the UK opening up so we just have to watch and hope.

“But our current thinking is there are likely to be international travel restrictions in place up until the end of the year.”



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