The Ashes won't feature a Test in August for first time in 139 YEARS

Next summer’s home Ashes will be the first in 139 years to not feature a Test starting in August, under plans to give the Hundred better access to England players.

Such scheduling will further antagonise traditional supporters of the game, who are worried about its future amid a glut of Twenty20 leagues springing up around the globe.

But an early-summer Ashes series would suit the ECB and Cricket Australia for multiple reasons.

This month, Test captain Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, England’s man of the summer, pulled out of contracts with Northern Superchargers and Welsh Fire respectively to rest ahead of the three Tests against South Africa.

These withdrawals, while understandable from a cricket perspective given the unrelenting nature of England’s calendar, went against the ECB’s long-term pledge that their flagship 100-ball competition would feature the country’s top talent.

Freeing up August exclusively for limited-overs cricket would increase the likelihood of the biggest names playing some part, while also helping preparations for the World Cup.

England’s defence of the 50-over trophy they won in 2019 begins on the Subcontinent next October, and finishing the season with a white-ball diet would provide opportunities for Jos Buttler’s team to tune up.

Australia are understood to be agreeable to the earliest finish to an Ashes series here, given that they are in the box seat to play in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in early June.

That fixture would therefore serve as preparation for five further matches in seven weeks against England, who could warm up with a Test against Ireland or Afghanistan.

Moving the marquee Test series of the summer to an earlier slot is likely to become a regular occurrence