England to face Bangladesh, Pakistan next season

London: England will play two Test series against Bangladesh and Pakistan next season alongside five One Day International matches against Australia in July, the ECB have confirmed.

The two-match series against Bangladesh will be followed by three ODIs between 27 May and 17 June. The four-match series against Pakistan will feature five ODIs and two Twenty20 matches, to be held between September 5 and 21.

Australia will also play Pakistan in two Twenty20 matches at the end of June and the beginning of July.

The England Lions Team will compete in a series of ODIs against New Zealand A and India A in July while a one-day series against Pakistan in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is yet to be finalised.

Meanwhile, in domestic limited overs cricket, games will be reduced to 40 overs, rather than 50, after consultation with the first class counties.

Games will be held on Sundays with the same restrictions on power plays and fielding as in international cricket.

The teams will be divided into three pools of seven teams, with sides playing six home and six away games each, before progressing to a semi-final and then a final in September.

The two-division County Championship has been given priority in the fixture programme, while an enhanced Twenty20 competition will be divided into two pools of nine teams, split on a north versus south basis.

The chairman of the ECB, Giles Clarke, said: "Directors of cricket and coaches reported through their county votes, that the leading one day team in world cricket - South Africa - do not mirror 50 overs at domestic level and that, provided power plays and fielding restrictions were the same as the international format, the skills required were very similar."