The ECB’s move has come after talks with long-term sponsor Npower, which has backed England’s home Test series since 2001, failed to yield a new deal beyond the expiration of the current agreement in 2011. This year's fixtures with India and Sri Lanka will be the last under the Npower banner, with the new agreement to run from 2012 to 2015.
The contract will encompass 27 Tests and the home Ashes series in 2013 and 2015. England completed a 3-1 victory in the latest high-profile Ashes series in Australia last week.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for a major brand to be at the very heart of English cricket,” said ECB commercial director John Perera. “Test match cricket attracts huge interest across the country and occupies a special place in our nation's culture.”
In the UK, Sky Sports broadcasts more than 190 hours of live Test match coverage each summer, while Channel Five airs 45-minute highlights shows. The BBC holds the live radio broadcast rights through Test Match Special.
