Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
No, actually that started before the creation of the Future Tours Programme... it was a result of the split TV-contract, used at large for the first time in 2000, which allowed for 7 Tests and a midsummer ODI series.archie mac said:Before all of this ICC crap regarding each country playing all other countries, England always played 6 Test summers. Say 3 v India and 3 V NZ but Ashes Tests were 6 match series for a long time.(7 series from memory)
The first six-Test Ashes were 1981, the last 1997 (5 series).
There were also 3 six-Testers in Australia (1970\71, 1974\75, 1978\79).