MELBOURNE: England will play tour games in Perth, Adelaide and Townsville before facing Australia in the first Ashes test at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 23.

Cricket Australia said Thursday that England and its captain Joe Root will start its schedule against a Western Australia XI in a two-day match at the WACA on November 4-5. Earlier this month, the venue for the third test was moved to the WACA when it was determined a new stadium in Perth would not be finished in time.

Following the two-day match in Perth, England will travel to the Adelaide Oval for a four-day, day-night tour match against a Cricket Australia XI from November 8-11. That will give them a chance to get accustomed to the pink ball which will be in use for the first day-night Ashes test at the same venue beginning December 2.

England will then have a chance to acclimatize to the Queensland heat with a final four-day tour game, again taking on a CA XI, but this time with the red ball, at Townsville's Tony Ireland Stadium in tropical North Queensland state from November15-18.

"Those fans here to support England can get along to these matches and in particular, we're pleased to be able to bring a four-day match up to Townsville," CA team performance manager Pat Howard said.

At the conclusion of the second test in Adelaide, England will again head west for another two-day match against a Cricket Australia XI from Dec. 9-10, ahead of the WACA test which begins on December 14. The fourth test begins in Melbourne on December 26 and the fifth in Sydney on January 4.

England's one-day international team will have one 50-over tour match to prepare for their five-game ODI series against Australia in January, to be played at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue in Sydney on January 11. The first ODI will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 14.

England's tour matches in Australia:

November 4-5: vs. Western Australia XI, WACA Ground

November 8-11: vs. Cricket Australia XI, Adelaide Oval (day-night)

November 15-18: vs. CA XI, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville

December 9-10: vs. CA XI, Perth (venue TBC)

January 11: vs. CA XI, Sydney (venue TBC)

Test schedule:

First: Gabba, Brisbane, November 23-27.

Second: Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (day-night).

Third: WACA Ground, Perth, December 14-18.

Fourth: Melbourne Cricket Ground, December 26-30.

Fifth: Sydney Cricket Ground, January 4-8.