Twenty20 and ODI for the Riverside

By Jon Steer
May 5 2006

The ECB has announced that the Riverside will host an England v New Zealand one day international and an England v South Africa Twenty20 in the Summer of 2008. These are in addition to the West Indies test allocated to the Riverside in 2007.

The ECB has announced the hosting arrangements for England's home games between 2007 and 2009. As expected the test venues were exactly as recommended by the Major Match Group with caused so much controversey last month with Glamorgan's Sophia Gardens ground being awarded as Ashes Test Match.

In addition to the West Indies test match allocated to Durham's Riverside ground in 2007, there will be a first International Twenty20 match at the ground when England take on South Africa in 2008. Later in the same summer the Riverside will host a one day international between England and New Zealand.

It looks likely that there will be no test cricket played at the Riverside in either 2008 or 2009 unless a still to be allocated test against Zimbabwe comes our way (assuming Zimbabwe are still a test playing nation by then...)