ECB announces 2013 domestic finals dates and Essex v England Ashes warm-up game

ECB today announced the dates and venues for its domestic competition finals next summer and details of a four-day warm-up match for England ahead of the 2013 Investec Ashes Test Series.

The 2013 Friends Life t20 Finals Day will be held at Edgbaston next season on Saturday 17^th August, with a reserve day pencilled in for the 18^Th August. Tickets will go on general sale on Thursday 1^st November, via www.edgbaston.com/tickets.

Lord’s will again host the Clydesdale Bank 40 Final which will be played on Saturday 21^st September, with a reserve day of the 22^nd of September. Tickets will go on sale early in the New Year via www.lords.org.

As part of preparations for the 2013 Investec Ashes Test series, ECB has also agreed that the England team will play a 4-day warm-up match against Essex CCC at The Ford County Ground, Chelmsford from 30^th June – 3rd July – prior to the start of the 1^st Investec Test against Australia at Trent Bridge from July 10^th-14^th.

Hugh Morris, Managing Director of England Cricket said: “Our three-day match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 2009 provided excellent preparation for the Test squad ahead of the Ashes Test series and we are very grateful to Essex for providing us with a similar warm-up fixture next summer during a period when there is a break in the LV=County Championship schedule.”