LANCASHIRE chairman Michael Cairns has declared that England’s ‘traditional’ six Test grounds should take priority for big games over Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl.

Lord’s, The Oval, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston, Headingley and Old Trafford for many decades were the only English venues capable of staging Tests.

But in recent years Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl, Durham’s Emirates and Glamorgan’s Swalec Stadium have all come into the equation.

The Ageas Bowl held its inaugural Test against Sri Lanka in 2011 which was voted a big success despite being marred by rain.

Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove had previously been disappointed that his stadium had been overlooked for a 2009 Ashes Test that went instead to Cardiff.

The Ageas Bowl also missed out on an Ashes Test this year, with Durham staging one for the first time.

Lancashire chairman Michael Cairns believes the most attractive Tests should go to the grounds in England’s largest cities – of which Old Trafford, in Manchester, is most definitely one.

“We need Test cricket here every year,” Cairns said. “If we want the structure of the game in this country to remain the same, the top selling games have to go to the big grounds. “To fill a Test ground for five days the matches have to go to the large conurbations. “The large grounds have an ability to make money for the pool. “It helps everyone from the ECB to the counties.” His comments will no doubt upset Hampshire, Glamorgan and Durham.

Without their competition, Lancashire would probably not have pursued such a vigorous campaign to revamp the ground which has taken Cairns and his staff the best part of a decade to complete.

The ECB will next year announce which stadiums have been successful in winning England home Tests covering the years 2017-19 inclusive.

Competition to host England matches will always be fierce from now on with nine grounds bidding for seven Tests a summer. The market is further squeezed by the fact Lord’s hosts two Tests each year. Lancashire have a debt level of around £10 million to deal with so stakes are high. Income has been boosted by the success of the conference centre, the Point, as well as corporate entertaining and car parking income from Manchester United home matches.

But hosting Test cricket is the major cash generator. In years gone by, Ashes series in this country used to be played over six Tests, so all the traditional grounds staged one.

Now, in addition to extra competition from other venues, there are only five Ashes Tests in a series, and Lord’s and the Oval always get two of them.

That leaves the other seven stadia battling for just three Tests.

Yorkshire’s Headingley is one of the traditional Test grounds not holding an Ashes Test this year.

Chief executive Colin Graves has said the county did not bid for one because, at a cost of between £1m-£2m, “it would represent too great a financial risk”.