England will travel straight to New Zealand at the end of their tour of India next January after the schedule for their trip was released on Wednesday.
Published: Jun 22, 2012, 11:06 AM (IST)
Edited: Jun 22, 2012, 11:06 AM (IST)
England will meet the Black Caps in three Tests, three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20s © Getty Images
London: Jun 22, 2012
England will travel straight to New Zealand at the end of their tour of India next January after the schedule for their trip was released on Wednesday.
England will meet the Black Caps in three Tests, three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20s in a two-month tour that will be their first trip to New Zealand since 2008.
England’s players will fly directly from their five-match One-Day International tour of India, which finishes in Chandigarh on January 27, and will arrive in Auckland two days later.
The announcement ensures that England will have no significant time off until March next year.
After arriving in New Zealand, England’s players will have 11 days to prepare for the opening Twenty20 at Eden Park, Auckland, with two warm-up matches scheduled in between.
Following the limited overs series, the first Test will start on March 6 at Dunedin’s University Park — the first time the venue has hosted an England Test since 1966.
The second Test is due to start in Wellington on March 14 before the tour returns to Auckland for the final match beginning on March 22.
England tour of New Zealand:
February 4 – New Zealand XI v England, Cobham Oval, Whangarei (T20 warm-up)
Feb 6 – New Zealand XI v England, Cobham Oval, Whangarei (T20 warm-up)
Feb 9 – First Twenty20 International at Eden Park, Auckland
Feb 12 – Second Twenty20 International at Seddon Park, Hamilton
Feb 15 – Third Twenty20 International at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Feb 17 – First ODI at Seddon Park, Hamilton
Feb 20 – Second ODI at McLean Park, Napier
Feb 23 – Third ODI at Eden Park, Auckland
February 27-March 2 – NZ XI v England, Queenstown Events Centre (four-day warm-up)
Mar 6-10 – First Test at University Oval, Dunedin
Mar 14-18 – Second Test at Hawkins Basin Reserve, Wellington
Mar 22-26 – Third Test at Eden Park, Auckland (AFP)
