England’s WTC25 Tour of New Zealand: Schedule and Venues Announced

The venues for the upcoming England tour of New Zealand, part of the 2023-2025 World Test Championship, have been confirmed. The three Test matches will be hosted at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, the Basin Reserve in Wellington, and Seddon Park in Hamilton.

Scott Weenink, New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive, has expressed his excitement about the early announcement of the tour. He attributes this to the recent surge in popularity of the long format, as evidenced by the sold-out matches against Australia earlier this year.

“In the past, the popularity of Test cricket in New Zealand was often discussed, but it didn’t translate into ticket sales or viewership numbers,” Weenink said. “However, the recent summer season and the upcoming Tests against England have seen a significant increase in both attendance and viewership.”

Weenink added, “We are eagerly anticipating the continuation of this trend in the upcoming summer, and we look forward to welcoming the England team, their fans, and of course, our Kiwi-based supporters.”

New Zealand, the winners of the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021, currently sit third in the 2023-2025 table, having collected 50% of possible points so far. The Black Caps claimed maximum points in their home series against South Africa and secured a win in their away series against Bangladesh, before succumbing to a 2-0 series defeat against the current defending champions, Australia.

The 2024/2025 summer will also see tours from both the Australian and Sri Lankan women’s teams, as well as the Sri Lankan and Pakistani men’s teams. The remainder of New Zealand’s home international schedule will be announced later this year.

New Zealand v England Test Series Schedule

Thursday, 28 November – First Test – Hagley Oval, Christchurch

Friday, 6 December – Second Test – Basin Reserve, Wellington

Saturday, 14 December – Third Test – Seddon Park, Hamilton