By Jon Steer
April 24 2006

Despite backing from the whole of the northeast and their high profile 'Sign the Bat' campaign there will be no Ashes test for the Riverside in 2009. The Durham bid was beaten by Cardiff's Sophia Gardens despite the ground having never had a test match or one day international. In fact the local council are still to award planning permission to Glamorgan to allow them to carry out the redevelopment that would make Sophia Gardens capable of hosting a test match.

The Durham bid came in second place, beating Old Trafford. The Riverside was awarded the consolation of an England v West Indies test match in 2007 but is likely to have to wait until 2010 before hosting another test.

The decision to award an Ashes test match to Sophia Gardens came as a surprise to many with the battle thought to be between the Riverside and Old Trafford with Hampshire's Rose Bowl hopeful of being awarded test match status.

The decision appears to have been weighted heavily by commercial factors with the Welsh Assembly providing substantial financial support for the bid.

The re-development of Sophia Garden does have its opponents and it is still conceivable that the development will not be ready in time but it seems likely that all Durham can do is use the West Indies test next year to show how well the Riverside can host a major test match.

The Riverside has received provisional International Match Floodlit Accreditation for permanent floodlights dependent upon detailed specifications. One Day International match allocations will be announced on 3rd May.

England Test match venues 2007-09
(in alphabetical order by year)

2007
vs West Indies - Chester-le-Street, Headingley, Lord's, Old Trafford
vs India - Brit Oval, Lord's, Trent Bridge

2008
vs New Zealand - Lord's, Old Trafford and Trent Bridge
vs South Africa - Brit Oval, Edgbaston, Headingley, Lord's

2009
vs Zimbabwe - Lord's, TBC
vs Australia - Brit Oval, Cardiff, Edgbaston, Headingley, Lord's