England Plan Pink-ball Warm-up Before Anniversary Test At Mcg

England are readying to play a pink-ball warm-up lucifer earlier nan 150th day Test against Australia successful Melbourne adjacent year.

The Ashes rivals are playing a one-off day-night Test from 11 March 2027 astatine nan Melbourne Cricket Ground to people nan 150th day of nan first Test lucifer betwixt nan sides connected nan aforesaid crushed successful 1877.

England were heavy beaten 4-1 successful this winter's Ashes bid and their mentation was heavily criticised.

They played 1 in-house warm-up against England Lions earlier nan bid and did not play a lucifer against nan pinkish shot earlier nan day-night 2nd Test successful Brisbane.

Coach Brendon McCullum admitted England whitethorn person made mistakes pinch their mentation aft they conceded nan bid astatine nan earliest opportunity pinch conclusion successful nan 3rd Test successful Adelaide.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) person held talks pinch Cricket Australia (CA) complete a reciprocal statement that would mean touring teams are provided pinch amended mentation earlier Ashes series.

Melbourne's Junction Oval is 1 imaginable big of nan warm-up earlier nan day Test, though thing has been confirmed and England person plentifulness of clip to alteration their mind.

The 2026-27 wintertime is group to beryllium peculiarly engaged for England's multi-format players.

After nan location summertime concludes connected 27 September, they will play a 50-over tri-series successful Pakistan, perchance besides including Sri Lanka, from mid-October earlier travelling to Australia for a white-ball circuit successful November.

In December they person a three-Test bid against world champions South Africa. That is scheduled to beryllium portion of a multi-format circuit but nan T20 leg, successful particular, is successful uncertainty because of a imaginable conflict pinch South Africa's franchise T20 competition, nan SA20.

England will besides play 2 Tests against Bangladesh successful February, aft which their players will apt recreation straight to Australia.

Warm-up matches are besides apt earlier nan South Africa and Bangladesh tours.