When does the Ashes 2021/22 start? Date and UK time of first Australia vs England cricket Test and schedule

England are set to face Australia for the iconic Ashes series in their first test next week. The 2021/22 Ashes series will be the 72nd time the series has taken place since 1882.

The preceding events to the series have almost been as dramatic as any previous Ashes Test match.

The Covid-19 pandemic had the potential to ruin the chances of the 2021/22 Ashes series due to the restrictions currently in place in Australia.

Many English players, such as wicket-keeper Jos Buttler, stated that they would not make themselves available for the upcoming clashes if their families were not going to be allowed to accompany them on the tour. Luckily, compromises were met and agreements made that permitted the historical battle to take place.

Ben Stokes has also made a return to the squad after a three month absence where he focused on his mental health and recovering from a left-index finger injury.

The latest dramatics ahead of the 72nd clash have involved changing of the guard of the Australian captaincy.

Tim Paine has recently announced that he has stepped down from his role as the captain of the Test team due to a text scandal that has recently come to light.

Paine was involved in a texting misconduct which took place four years, and although exonerated, has taken the decision to move away from the Cricket pitch for the foreseeable future.

Australia’s fast bowler Pat Cummins has taken on the role with former Test Captain Steve Smith assuming the role of vice-captain.

With the first test just over a week away, here is all you need to know about when it starts and how to keep up with the following test matches.

When is the first Ashes test match?

The first test match will take place from Wednesday 8 December to Sunday 12 December 2021.

Where is the test match being held?

The first clash in the Ashes series will take place at the Brisbane Cricket Ground or, as it’s more commonly referred to as, the Gabba.

What time is the first test match ?

Play will begin at 12am GMT on each day.

When are the other test matches?

The second test will be a day-nighter in Adelaide from 16 December to 20 December 2021.

Tradition will resume for the Boxing day Test match which will take place in Melbourne from the 26 December to 30 December 2021.

The fourth test will be held in Sydney from 5 January to 9 January 2022 before the final test which is due to take place in Perth on 14 January until 18 January.

Due to the current covid restrictions in Perth, the fifth test cannot be played at this venue and a replacement is said to be announce

How many Ashes series have England won compared to Australia?

The two sides have faced each other in 71 test series since the Ashes were first introduced. Australia have won 33 series, England have won 32 times and there have been six draws in the series.

In the 71 series, 335 test matches have been played with Australia winning 136 and England winning 108.

The last time England won the Ashes in Australia was during the 1986/7 series which resulted in a 3-1 win for England.

What are the Ashes 2021 Squads?

England: Joe Root (c) , James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Australia: Pat Cummins (c) , Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Steve Smith, David Warner.

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