MUMBAI, June 16: The vintage Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai will host its first Test match in 35 years when England tour India later this year, an official said on Monday.

The Brabourne was chosen as a venue for one of England’s two Tests in December because the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) Wankhede Stadium is being renovated for the 2011 World Cup in South Asia.

The Cricket Club of India (CCI), which owns the 35,000-seater Brabourne Stadium, has finalised a three-year deal with the MCA to host international matches till the Wankhede was rebuilt.

“The discussion part is over and the CCI has agreed to keep 50 per cent of the club house tickets to themselves and give the rest to us,” MCA official P.V. Shetty told reporters.

The Wankhede Stadium, named after former Indian cricket chief S.K. Wankhede, has been a regular Test venue since hosting its first five-day match against Clive Lloyd’s West Indies in 1975.

The Brabourne Stadium hosted five Champions Trophy one-day matches, including the final, in 2006 and also a Twenty20 International between India and Australia in October last year.—AFP