Edgbaston wins additional t20 game between England and India

BIRMINGHAM’S Edgbaston Stadium has been rewarded for its success in staging the ICC Champions Trophy competition in June by being granted an additional Twenty 20 international.

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed the ground will stage a 20-over-a-side NatWest t20 International between England and India next summer after the game’s original host, Durham was forced to hand the fixture back.

Edgbaston does not have an Ashes Test Match this summer and has also missed out on an Indian five-day game next year so the additional fixture – a replay of this year’s ICC Trophy final – will be a major boost to Warwickshire’s authorities as well as local cricket supporters.

Edgbaston, which accommodated almost 105,000 spectators across its five ICC Champions Trophy matches, including the final, was already scheduled to host England’s NatWest Series ODIs against India and Sri Lanka in 2014.

Colin Povey, Chief Executive of Edgbaston, said: “England have a fantastic record at Edgbaston and we’re thrilled to welcome them back to Birmingham, where they’ll certainly be looking to avenge their recent ICC Champions Trophy Final defeat.

“The £32m redevelopment of the stadium was designed to give the best possible cricket experience to players, spectators and officials in attendance on match days. The ICC Champions Trophy showcased these facilities on the world’s biggest stage and being allocated this match is a welcome reward to the fans who gave such great support and the fantastic efforts from the Edgbaston team throughout the tournament.”

Durham’s Emirates ICG has also been forced to hand the ECB back the right to stage an England v Australia ODI in 2015. The game will now be played at Old Trafford in Manchester.

The Durham authorities have denied the north east cannot sustain international cricket and have said the Riverside stadium has a select number of international games it can realistically afford to stage.

To compensate Midlands cricket fans for a lack of international games this summer, Edgbaston is also staging the finals of this season’s domestic Friends Life t20 tournament – one of England cricket’s premier dates. Finals day is scheduled for Saturday August 17.

Ticket information on the 2014 matches will be released on www.edgbaston.com at the end of the current season.