text: CRICKET - 1997 ASHES INTINERARY . LONDON 1996-08-30 Australia will defend the Ashes in a six-test series against England during a four-month tour starting on May 13 next year , the Test and County Cricket Board said on Friday . Australia will also play three one-day internationals and four one-day warm-up matches at the start of the tour . The tourists will play nine first-class matches against English county sides and another against British Universities , as well as one-day matches against the Minor Counties and Scotland . Tour itinerary : May May 13 Arrive in London May 14 Practice at Lord 's May 15 v Duke of Norfolk 's XI ( at Arundel ) May 17 v Northampton May 18 v Worcestershire May 20 v Durham May 22 First one-day international ( at Headingley , Leeds ) May 24 Second one-day international ( at The Oval , London ) May 25 Third one-day international ( at Lord 's , London ) May 27-29 v Gloucestershire or Sussex or Surrey ( three days ) May 31 - June 2 v Derbyshire ( three days ) June June 5-9 First test match ( at Edgbaston , Birmingham ) June 11-13 v a first class county ( to be confirmed ) June 14-16 v Leicestershire ( three days ) June 19-23 Second test ( at Lord 's ) June 25-27 v British Universities ( at Oxford , three days ) June 28-30 v Hampshire ( three days ) July July 3-7 Third test ( at Old Trafford , Manchester ) July 9 v Minor Counties XI July 12 v Scotland July 16-18 v Glamorgan ( three days ) July 19-21 v Middlesex ( three days ) July 24-28 Fourth test ( at Headingley ) August August 1-4 v Somerset ( four days ) August 7-11 Fifth test ( at Trent Bridge , Nottingham ) August 16-18 v Kent ( three days ) August 21-25 Sixth test ( at The Oval , London ) .