Mark Butcher calls 2027 Ashes schedule 'extraordinary' as two northern venues miss out

Former England batsman Mark Butcher has described the decision to leave Headingley and Old Trafford off the 2027 men's Ashes schedule as 'extraordinary' and 'bizarre'. The venues for the five-Test series against Australia were confirmed last month, and every match will be staged at grounds located in the Midlands, London or the south of England, with neither Leeds nor Manchester featuring.

Trent Bridge in Nottingham will host the series opener, with Lord's, Edgbaston and the Oval returning after hosting Ashes Tests in 2023. The Rose Bowl in Southampton has been added to the rotation, becoming the first time the Hampshire ground will host a men's Ashes Test. The omission of two prominent northern grounds has drawn criticism from players and pundits alike.

"Of course, I have a certain affinity with this ground [Headingley] and with Old Trafford as a player. I also think that for visiting teams, there are five or six grounds that have an enormous amount of history when it comes to Ashes cricket," Butcher said, speaking to Sky Sports.

The five-Test series runs from June 18 to August 2, 2027. The first Test will be played from June 18-22 at Trent Bridge, followed by the second Test, June 30 to July 4. Edgbaston will host the third Test, set to be played from July 8-12 July. The fourth and fifth Tests will be played at the Rose Bowl and the Oval, from 21-25 and July 29 to August 2, respectively.

The schedule concentrates the entire series across the Midlands and southern England. The Utilita Bowl's inclusion is the most notable change from previous Ashes rotations in England, as the Southampton venue has not previously appeared in a men's series between the two sides. England Women are separately scheduled to face Australia in a Test at Headingley as part of a multi-format series next summer.

Both grounds have been allocated men's Ashes Tests in 2031, meaning they will have sat out at least two consecutive home Ashes series in England. Headingley is not scheduled to host another men's Test of any kind after the current fixture against Pakistan until 2029, according to the available scheduling information. England batter Harry Brook also expressed disappointment at the absence of northern venues from the 2027 series.

"I personally love playing here [Headingley]. It's a great venue. It's one of my favourites, if not my favourite ground to bat on as well. The 2031 allocation offers some reassurance to supporters of both grounds, though the wait spans a significant period in the Ashes calendar," Brook said, speaking ahead of the first Test against Pakistan.