2015 promises to be another action-packed year for England. ecb.co.uk looks at what the next 12 months, which include a World Cup and Ashes series, has in store for Peter Moores’ side.
Tri-Series against Australia and India
In preparation for the World Cup, England start 2015 Down Under with a Tri-Series against Australia and India in what will be the first one-day internationals as captain for Eoin Morgan.
After playing two warm-up matches, with an ACT XI and a Prime Minister’s XI, their campaign kicks off on January 16 against the hosts in Sydney.
Their first clash with India in Brisbane is four days later before moving to Hobart for their second encounter with the Aussies on January 23.
Another match with India follows on January 30 at the WACA Ground, which is also the venue for the final two days after.
World Cup in Australia and New Zealand
If England reach the Tri-Series final, then they will have two weeks to get ready for their World Cup opener.
They warm up for the showpiece with two games in Sydney, versus West Indies and Pakistan on February 9 and 11 respectively, the latter in a repeat of the 1992 World Cup final.
The first of a minimum of six Pool A fixtures, with Australia the first opposition in Melbourne, gets under way on Valentine’s Day.
They also have clashes in New Zealand against the co-hosts, Scotland and Sri Lanka in the space of nine days before returning to Australia for encounters with Bangladesh and Afghanistan on March 9 and 13.
The last-eight matches begin on March 18, the semi-finals take place on March 24 and 26 before the final three days later.
Tour of West Indies
Having feasted on a diet of 50-over cricket since the end of the English summer, Alastair Cook’s side return to Test action at the start of April in the West Indies.
They begin their tour of the Caribbean with a brace of two-day matches, starting on April 6 and 8, in St Kitts.
Three Tests follow at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium from April 13, Grenada National Cricket Stadium from April 21 and Kensington Oval in Barbados from May 1.
ODI in Ireland
If the third Test in the Caribbean lasts the duration, England will have three days to return to the United Kingdom and prepare for an ODI against Ireland at The Village in Dublin ahead of the English summer.
New Zealand tour of England
New Zealand arrive on these shores for two Investec Tests and five Royal London ODIs before ending their stay with a single NatWest international Twenty20 at Emirates Old Trafford on June 23.
The Test series consists of matches at Lord’s and Headingley from May 21 and 29 respectively.
Five 50-over matches follow, at Edgbaston, the Kia Oval, Ageas Bowl, Trent Bridge and Emirates Durham ICG, in the space of 11 days.
The Ashes
Australia then come calling, for the second time in three summers, for their defence of the Ashes.
The five-match rubber kicks-off on July 8 in Cardiff, where England held on for a dramatic draw in the first Test of the 2009 Ashes.
Lord’s and Trent Bridge, two venues where England won in 2013, sandwich a clash at Edgbaston before the series reaches its conclusion at the Kia Oval from August 20.
The teams return to Cardiff for a NatWest international T20 on August 31 ahead of the Royal London ODI leg of the tour, which starts at the Ageas Bowl three days later.
Lord’s, Emirates Old Trafford twice, and Headingley are the venues for the other four matches which take place between September 5 and 13.
Tour of South Africa
England take a well-earned break from action between the end of the ODI series with Australia and the tour of South Africa in December.
They arrive in the country on December 11 and have the chance to acclimatise to the conditions in two warm-up matches, at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom and the Pietermaritzburg Oval.
England end 2015 with the first of four Tests against the Proteas, starting at the Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban on Boxing Day.