ADELAIDE, Dec 19: Australia will host England in a five-Test series for the Ashes in 2002-03, the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) announced Tuesday.

The series will open at the Gabba in Brisbane from Nov 7-11, 2002 and the final match will be played in Sydney from Jan 2-6.

In a break from tradition, the series will be split into two blocks with a 23-day break between the third Test in Adelaide and the fourth match in Melbourne.

ACB chief executive James Sutherland said the board had been forced to split the series so they could finish the triangular one-day series, which also includes Sri Lanka, before the 2003 World Cup starting in South Africa on Feb 8.

In a break from tradition, Adelaide stands to stage an additional game if the one-day series goes to a third final, with the last game of the summer scheduled for the Adelaide Oval.

Sri Lanka arrive in Australia on Dec 11 next year to play a tour match against Australia ‘A’ in Brisbane Dec 15.

Sri Lanka’s one-day series campaign commences two days later against England at The Gabba in Brisbane.

Ashes Tests

Nov 7-11: First Test (Brisbane).

Nov 21-25: Second Test (Perth).

Nov 29-Dec 3: Third Test (Adelaide).

Dec 26-30: Fourth Test (Melbourne).

Jan 2-6: Fifth Test (Sydney).

Triangular one-day series

Dec 13: Australia v England (Sydney, D/N),

Dec 15: Australia v England (Melbourne, D/N).

Dec 17: England v Sri Lanka (Brisbane, D/N).

Dec 20: England v Sri Lanka (Perth, D/N).

Dec 22: Australia v Sri Lanka (Perth D/N).

Jan 9: Australia v Sri Lanka (Sydney, D/N).

Jan 11: Australia v England (Hobart).

Jan 13: England v Sri Lanka (Sydney, D/N).

Jan 15: Australia v Sri Lanka (Brisbane, D/N).

Jan 17: England v Sri Lanka (Adelaide, D/N).

Jan 19: Australia v England (Adelaide, D/N).

Jan 21: Australia v Sri Lanka (Melbourne, D/N).

Jan 23: First Final (Sydney, D/N).

Jan 25: Second Final (Melbourne, D/N).

Jan 27: Third Final (Adelaide, D/N — if required).—Reuters/AFP