Aussies set Ashes schedule

Australia has released the schedule for the 2010 Ashes series, with England 's bid to retain the urn starting in Brisbane next November.

With just a month gone since Andrew Strauss led his England side to regain the Ashes at the Oval, Australian cricket officials have released the schedule for the next series when they hope they will gain revenge. The Aussies will hope for a similar result to the 5-0 whitewash they achieved when England last made the trip Down Under after winning that famous Ashes series in 2005.

The five-Test series will begin at Brisbane 's 'Gabba ground on November 25 and will follow the same circuit around the country that England made during that 5-0 humbling under Andrew Flintoff. The second and third Tests will follow in Adelaide and Perth with Melbourne and Sydney to host their tradition Boxing Day and New Year's Tests respectively to complete the series.

Ashes 2010-11 schedule:

• First Test, Brisbane (Nov 25-29)


• Second Test, Adelaide (Dec 3-7)


• Third Test, Perth (Dec 16-20)


• Fourth Test, Melbourne (Dec 26-30)


• Fifth Test, Sydney (Jan 3-7)

Source : sky sports

New World Cup format revealed

England will face India and South Africa in an expanded seven-team group in the first round of the 2011 World Cup.

The format - two groups of seven teams - was confirmed at a meeting of the International Cricket Council board in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

England have been placed in Group B, with West Indies , Bangladesh , Ireland and Holland also awaiting them.

The new format for the tournament in India , Bangladesh and Sri Lanka , which will see the overall number of games reduced from 51 to 49, will take over from the much-criticised structure of the last World Cup which began with four groups of four and progressed to a Super Eight stage.

2011 World Cup draw:

Group A: Australia , Pakistan , New Zealand , Sri Lanka , Zimbabwe , Canada , Kenya

Group B: India , South Africa , England , West Indies , Bangladesh , Ireland , Netherlands