England tour game switched to Alice Springs

England will play a Chairman's XI in Alice Springs between the opening two Tests of this winter's Ashes tour.

The tourists were originally scheduled to play the two-day match in Canberra on 29 and 30 November in between the Brisbane and Adelaide Tests.

But the game has been moved to Alice Springs, one of the hottest parts of the country, because the Manuka Oval is to be resurfaced for the World Cup.

"The change was made with our full agreement," an England spokesman said.

"It is a two-day game with only one day likely to be spent in the field and there will still be ample time for rest and recovery before the next Test match starts on 5 December."

Temperatures in Alice Springs, in the Northern Territory, average around 35C.

But Cricket Australia hope England fans will visit the area to watch the game at the picturesque Traeger Park.

Spokesman Andrew Ingleton said: "When we were informed that Canberra could not host this year's Chairman's XI fixture, we wanted to bring the match to an iconic part of Australia.

"Alice Springs, set against the backdrop of the MacDonnell Ranges, is an iconic part of our great country and an ideal setting for the game."