Ashes may herald new era for Tests with names, numbers on players' shirts
First in 142 years of Test cricket history
March 20, 2019 00:00:00
This summer's Ashes series will see a first in 142 years of Test cricket - players wearing names and numbers on the back of their shirts, reports https://www.dailymail.co.uk.
The move comes as part of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) plan to make the Ashes the opening event in their World Test Championship series - a nine-team, two-year competition ending with a final in England in 2021.
The ICC has made the introduction partly to help players become more easily identifiable.
Traditionally, names and numbers in international cricket are just used for one-day formats, although County Championship players wear them in their four-day first class matches.
Yet since the very first Test series, between England and Australia in 1877 in Melbourne, players have always played in whites that are plain.
Players are set to be able to choose their own squad numbers, ranging from 1-99.
If they correspond to one-day numbers, captain Joe Root will wear No 66, Moeen Ali will have No 18 and Jonny Bairstow No 51.