The Ashes: Mark Butcher questions 'extraordinary' decision to leave Headingley and Old Trafford off 2027 schedule
England will host men's Ashes Tests at Trent Bridge, Lord's, Edgbaston, Utilita Bowl and the Kia Oval next summer, with Headingley and Old Trafford both missing from the 2027 venues; no Ashes Test ground north of Nottingham has come under scrutiny
Friday 21 August 2026 13:16, UK
Former England batsman Mark Butcher believes it’s ‘extraordinary’ and ‘bizarre’ that next summer’s men’s Ashes series will not feature a Test in the north of the country.
Venues for the 2027 Ashes against Australia were confirmed last month, with no ground north of Trent Bridge in Nottingham - being used for the series opener - named among the five-Test line-up.
Lord's, Edgbaston and the Kia Oval were named as returning venues, while the Utilita Bowl in Southampton will host a men's Ashes Test for the first time, with Headingley in Leeds and Old Trafford in Manchester both high-profile grounds to miss out.
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A lack of northern ground during the men's Ashes schedule has come under scrutiny from players, pundits and fans since it was announced, with Butcher questioning why two historic venues have both missed out.
"I think anybody but the most partisan Hampshire cricket supporter would recognise that in a sport and particularly in a series like the Ashes, where the interest in the game is at its peak at any point over a four-year cycle, that the game being marketed as a game for everybody needs to have some representation and needs to have a game in the north," Butcher told Sky Sports.
"Whether that's here at Headingley or whether it's at Old Trafford, that's a point for the bean counters to decide, or whoever's turn that might be.
"I find it extraordinary that there'll be no Ashes cricket up in the north of England beyond Trent Bridge next year. It's bizarre.
"Of course, I have a certain affinity with this ground [Headingley] and with Old Trafford as a player. I also think that for visiting teams, there are five or six grounds that have an enormous amount of history when it comes to Ashes cricket.
"Sadly, the Utilita Bowl is not one of them."
England Women meet Australia in a Test match at Headingley as part of a multi-format series next summer, although the Yorkshire ground is not scheduled to host another men's Test match after this week's clash with Pakistan until 2029.
Both Old Trafford and Headingley have been awarded an Ashes Test in 2031, with Edgbaston and the Utilita Bowl missing out that series, but Harry Brook is also saddened the 2027 edition will lack northern venues.
When asked how disappointed he was, Brook told Sky Sports ahead of day three of their first Test against Pakistan, "Slightly, to be honest. I think we've had a hell of a lot of success here [Headingley] in Test match cricket.
"You go back to 2019 in the Ashes when Stokesy [Ben Stokes] played that ridiculous innings, then the last Ashes Test match a couple of years ago [2023, England win] where we kept the Ashes alive.
"I personally love playing here [Headingley]. It's a great venue. It's one of my favourites, if not my favourite ground to bat on as well.
"It [lack of northern Test] is disappointing, but we don't make those decisions. The hierarchy make them and we just get told where to play."
Men's Ashes series in England 2027
All times UK and Ireland
First Test: Friday June 18 - Tuesday June 22 (11am) - Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Second Test: Wednesday June 30 - Sunday July 4 (11am) - Lord's
Third Test: Thursday July 8 - Monday July 12 (11am) - Edgbaston, Birmingham
Fourth Test: Wednesday July 21 - Sunday July 25 (11am) - Utilita Bowl, Southampton
Fifth Test: Thursday July 29 - Monday August 2 (11am) - The Kia Oval, London
Watch all three of England's Tests against Pakistan, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event. Stream cricket and more sport contract-free with NOW.
