Image courtesy of: The Sun

Alice Springs last hosted an international team back in November 2000

Alice Springs will finally be the proud hosts of a tour match during this year’s Ashes series, ending a 13-year drought, after Cricket Australia announced that England will play a two-day game there against the Cricket Australia’s Chairman’s XI on November 29 and 30.

The last time Traeger Park hosted an international team was back in November 2000 when the West Indies were captained by Jimmy Adams and played an ODI match against the Northern Territory Cricket Association Invitation XI.

England’s tour match in Alice Springs is scheduled to take place after the conclusion of the first Ashes Test match in Brisbane, but before the second Ashes Test in Adelaide.

“When we were informed that Canberra could not host this year’s Chairman’s XI fixture, we wanted to bring the match to an iconic part of Australia,” Cricket Australia’s executive general manager of game and market development, Andrew Ingleton, said. “Alice Springs, set against the backdrop of the MacDonnell Ranges, is an iconic part of our great country and an ideal setting for the game.”

Northern Territory’s minister for sport and recreation, Matt Conlan, was proud to have an international team play in Alice Springs after a break of 13 years.

“The Ashes is one of the biggest events in Australian sport and for Alice Springs to have a slice of the action in between the first and second Tests of this highly anticipated series is incredibly exciting,” Conlan said. “It’s been 13 years since Traeger Park hosted an international cricket team and I’m delighted this drought we now be broken in November.”