Rod Bransgrove remains undeterred in his dream of watching an Ashes Test at his beloved Ageas Bowl, with the Hampshire chairman hoping mobile technology will help see it realised one day even though he will be “well into his dotage”.

Bransgrove has poured millions of his personal fortune into the Southampton ground since saving the county from insolvency 18 years ago but was once again disappointed when the England and Wales Cricket Board announced the venues for the 2023 Test series against Australia.

The upside came in being awarded a team in the ECB’s new Twenty20 competition, as well as seven limited overs internationals from 2020 to 2024. From a business point of view these were considered a “great result” by Bransgrove, even if his mission rumbles on.

“I don’t intend to give up,” said Bransgrove, who will be 77 by the time the 2027 Ashes come around. “Personally I am disappointed and the potential date for an Ashes Test now is well into my dotage but it still remains an ambition and I will keep at it. We accept the decision, the host venue panel did their role with integrity. We have just got to get on with it.”

With Glamorgan not applying for a Test in the five-year period, Durham unable to do so as part of their £3.8m rescue package in 2016 and Hampshire also missing out entirely, the longer format will instead return to its traditional outposts.

Quick Guide Key revelations from the ECB Show Cities that will host T20 franchises from 2020 Birmingham (Edgbaston), Cardiff (Swalec Stadium), Leeds (Headingley), London (Lord’s and The Oval), Manchester (Old Trafford), Nottingham (Trent Bridge), Southampton (Ageas Bowl). The 10 counties that will not host a T20 franchise Derbyshire, Durham, Essex, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Somerset, Sussex, Worcestershire. Cup final venues from 2020 Trent Bridge (One-Day Cup); Edgbaston (T20 Blast). Test venues from 2020 Edgbaston, Headingley, The Oval, Lord’s, Old Trafford and Trent Bridge (all grounds except Trent Bridge will host an Ashes Test in 2023). ODI and T20 venues from 2020 Bristol, Cardiff, Chester-le-Street and Southampton, plus the six Test venues above.

Bransgrove, whose ground will host its third Test match when India tour this summer, refuses to accept that taking Tests to new regions has failed and now plans to push the 20,000-capacity Ageas Bowl to the next level in terms of customer experience.

New big screens will be in place this summer and a mobile app is being developed for spectators that will give them the ability to request replays, as well as acting as their ticket, providing an interactive map for the ground and a facility to place orders for refreshments.

“We will be pulling out all the stops and intend to lead the way,” Bransgrove said. “To be considered equal to the other grounds we have to be better, because we don’t have the history. It’s constant audition but if we keep passing it we will get that Ashes Test match.

“And the new T20 competition will be terrific for the region too. We already have the South Vipers in the women’s Super League here and sell as many shirts on a match day as when the men are playing. This will definitely bring in a new audience.”