The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced a break from tradition by awarding Cardiff the first Ashes Test next summer.

The ECB released the schedule for the 2009 series on Friday, which will see Sophia Gardens make its debut as a Test venue.

The first npower Test in the five-match series starts on July 8, followed by clashes at Lord's on July 20, Edgbaston (July 30), Headingley (August 7) and The Oval (August 20).

The scheduled means that Trent Bridge and Old Trafford miss out.

ECB chief executive David Collier said: "Already there is great expectation surrounding the npower Ashes Test Series, which will follow the 2009 Twenty20 World Championships in an exciting summer of cricket for cricket followers.

"We have been in full consultation with the England management about the structure of the series and our summer programme in 2009 and this was ECB's preferred programme.

"I think everyone is now looking forward to the summer with relish."

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said: "While it's still more than a year away, the 2009 Ashes series is already generating significant interest both here and in the UK.

"The 2005 series was a remarkable contest and the catalyst for huge growth in our game in Australia and the UK. I'm sure that the 2009 Ashes will be another eagerly-anticipated series."

The Rose Bowl in Hampshire will become the country's 10th Test venue two summers later when it hosts the first game of the two-match series against Sri Lanka.

The Southampton venue will also stage one-day internationals against Australia in 2009 and 2010, West Indies in 2010, and India in 2011.

The county is staging the English domestic Twenty20 Cup's finals day this year - and will do so again in 2010.

"This is a truly historic day for the Rose Bowl and Hampshire Cricket," chairman Rod Bransgrove said. "This is the culmination of an enormous amount of hard work and dedication and yes, it is the fulfilment of a personal dream.

"It is important that this is not seen as 'mission accomplished' though, as we fully intend to be a permanent fixture on the Test match calendar from 2011 onwards.

"This allocation of matches was hard-fought and demonstrates that with our new £45m development, turning the ground into the first ever model Test match ground, we are now one of the major sports and entertainment venues in the country.

"The allocation perfectly matches our proposed development timescale, due for completion in the summer of 2010 and fully tested, well before our historic first Test in 2011."