Ashes 2009 Cricket Series - Ashes Cricket 2009 Schedule, Team Info

Ashes 2009 is drawing close and the itinerary for Ashes 2009 is announced for the good news of Ashes followers.

The England and Wales Cricket Board, Chief Executive David Collier and Cricket Australia James Sutherland announced the Ashes 2009 schedule.

David Collier says in a statement, “already there is great expectations surrounding the nPower Test series (Ashes) which will follow the twenty20 World Championship in an exciting summer of cricket.”

Now that’s true! The 5 test Ashes series begins from July 8 2009 at the Sofia Gardens in Cardiff, the new stadium, and the second test will be at the Lords (this has been that way; very much conventional), the next at Edgbaston, the fourth at Headingley and the 5th at Oval will complete the Ashes series.

One cannot forget the Ashes 2005 as it still ticks my memories to be one of the fiercest cricketing battles I ever witnessed and England regained the Ashes with a 2-1 after 18 years. Remember Andrew Flintoff’s form in the series? The interest generated for Ashes from then on has been multiplying every year in England.

This year; however, Australia will be missing 3 biggies including Shane Warne (one cannot think of separating Ashes from this amazing spinner. Can you?), Glen McGrath and Adam Gilchrist (I am a big fan of this wonderful ambassador of the game).

Intentionally, the bad boy fame Andrew Symonds is not picked for the Ashes 2009.

With 3 all time greats and attacking all rounder Andrew Symonds not featuring in the Australian team, what can you expect?

Well, the new Australian line up will be showing fresh, young blood raring to go; that’s the spirit Ashes generates between the 2 teams if not anything less.

While England also is in the transitional phase. Ashes might not see the 4-man pace package of Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff playing together for England.

Instead, there will be Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad continuing the pace proceedings and we can only hope to see Andrew Flintoff coming after his surgery.

2009 Ashes Series Schedule
1st Test (8 July - 12 July) England vs Australia (SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff)

2nd Test (16 July - 20 July) England vs Australia (Lord’s, London)

3rd Test (30 July - 3 August) England vs Australia (Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham)

4th Test (7 August - 11 August) England vs Australia (Headingley Stadium, Leeds)

5th Test (20 August - 24 August) England vs Australia (The Oval, London)