England hopeful for the Aussie tour, Tests not on The Agenda

Sydney: England and Australia were still hopeful white-ball campaign will go ahead later this year, despite concerns over Pakistan’s tour of the UK.

England remains “quietly confident” that Australia will tour the UK to play limited-overs cricket later this year, but Test matches between the two sides are not on the agenda.

The Aussies were scheduled to play three T20s and three ODIs in England between July 3 and 16, but the two countries are instead looking to reschedule the series for September.

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Ten Pakistan players this week tested positive to COVID-19, putting a cloud over their proposed tour of England in August and raising the possibility that Australia’s campaign could be extended to include more matches and fill the gap if Pakistan isn’t able to play.

Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board are in constant dialogue about the tour, but it’s understood adding Test matches has not been discussed.

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England’s director of cricket, Ashley Giles, said there is not yet a contingency plan should the Pakistan tour be canceled, but did concede adding Tests against Ireland to the ODI series scheduled to start in late July isn’t out of the question.

“We’d have to look at that,” Giles said when asked about the prospect of playing red-ball cricket against the Irish.