The England and Wales Cricket Board have been urged to rethink their decision not to hold an Ashes Test at Manchester’s Emirates Old Trafford in 2027.

The fourth Test of this year’s enthralling series is taking place at the home of Lancashire Cricket. However, the world-famous venue - which held its first Test between England and Australia in 1884 - has been left off the list of venues for four years time.

With Headingley - the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club - also not included, it means the furthest north the series travels will be Nottingham’s Trent Bridge in 2027, meaning the current Test will be the last to be played north of the East Midlands venue until 2031.

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Southampton’s Ageas Bowl, Lord’s, The Oval and Edgbaston in Birmingham are the four other grounds chosen to host cricket’s biggest Test series in 2027.

Emirates Old Trafford has a witnessed many of most iconic Ashes moments including Australian spinner Shane Warne’s ‘Ball of the Century’ to dismiss Mike Gatting in 1993, Jim Laker’s 19-wicket haul in 1956 and the dramatic finale to the 2005 Test which saw around 20,000 people locked out on the final day due to shear demand.

Now the mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and his counterpart in West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin have put aside the Roses rivalry to urge the ECB to change their plans in a letter to ECB chair Richard Thompson.

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne during the International Test Match 2023 match between England and Australia
Australia's Marnus Labuschagne during the International Test Match 2023 match between England and Australia

"Headingley and Old Trafford are two of England's most iconic cricket grounds, and home to historic Ashes moments from Ian Botham's heroics in 1981 to Ben Stokes' 'Miracle of Headingley' in 2019," said the letter from Burnham and Brabin.

"Very few grounds attract support as passionate or indeed as diverse as Headingley and Old Trafford - as a number of England players themselves have acknowledged in recent days.

"The rivalry between Lancashire and Yorkshire within cricket is legendary, but this is an issue that unites both sides of the Pennines.

"We urge you to think again and ensure people in the north of England get the opportunity to witness more iconic Ashes moments in 2027.

"We understand that the ECB's criteria for awarding Test matches includes maximising attendances and ensuring a geographic spread of matches," continues the letter from the mayors.

Andy Burnham rings the 5 minute bell prior to day two of the Ashes 4th Test Match between England and Australia at Emirates Old Trafford on July 21, 2023
Andy Burnham rings the 5 minute bell prior to day two of the Ashes 4th Test Match between England and Australia at Emirates Old Trafford on July 21, 2023

"It feels even more remarkable therefore that an area so passionate about cricket, comprising 14.9m people and covering 14,500 square miles, misses out on a men's Ashes Test in 2027 whilst the south hosts three Tests.

"It does not feel right that, at a time when cricket needs to do more to spread interest in the game around the country, that London consistently hosts three Tests every summer."

Emirates Old Trafford will continue to host international cricket. Between 2025 and 2031 there will be five Men’s Test Matches, 10 Men’s IT20s as well as five white-ball Women’s Internationals.

The ground has missed out on an Ashes Test before, most recently in 2015 when Headingley was also snubbed.

Old Trafford was also left off the list in 2009, a decision which led to the start of a £75m redevelopment of the ground, the latest stage of which - a 1,000-seater stand and 100-room hotel on the site of the old Red Rose Suite - has been partially opened for the current Test and will be completed at the end of the summer.