Category: Cricket

After struggling on tour in India earlier this year, it was clear that something needed to change for England’s Test side. Luckily for us, the guys in charge have no fear when it comes to shaking things up.

England have become famous for their all-action, aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach in recent years and after packing their squad with young and hungry stars this year, they’re finally reaping the benefits.

England sweep West Indies aside

In the first of England’s summer Test series, Ben Stokes’ side came up against the West Indies in three matches and ultimately taught them a cricketing lesson, with the first game coming at Lord’s.

Gus Atkinson produced a masterclass with the ball, wowing the fans at the home of cricket with 7/45 and then 5/61 as he was awarded ‘Player of the Match’. England ran out clear winners, beating their opponents by an entire innings and 114 runs.

Atkinson was less impressive with the bat as he was out for a duck but luckily his teammates were on form, with Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook and Jamie Smith all hitting half-centuries. For the visitors, Gudakesh Motie’s unbeaten 31 was his side’s highest score in a disappointing team performance.

The West Indies improved for the second Test at Trent Bridge, although they still weren’t great. Pope, who was later made captain ahead of the Sri Lanka series, proved his leadership qualities as he stepped up with a strong performance.

The 26-year-old scored an impressive 121 in the first innings, following it up with a half century in the second. The West Indies managed to get more runs on the board, including a big 120 from Kavem Hodge, but five wickets from Shoaib Bashir secured England their second win on the spin.

And with the series already wrapped up ahead of the finale at Edgbaston, England continued to flourish. Atkinson secured ‘Player of the Series’ with another strong bowling performance, while Root and Smith strutted their stuff with huge knocks as the hosts won by 10 wickets.

England start strongly against Sri Lanka

Brendon McCullum’s preparation for the visit of Sri Lanka was far from ideal. Stokes was ruled out for the rest of the summer after tearing his hamstring in The Hundred, which led to Pope filling in as captain.

But it didn’t seem to bother England as they won the opening match at Old Trafford by five wickets. Sri Lanka looked to be just as poor as the West Indies as their opening five batsmen combined for just 47 runs but captain Dhananjaya de Silva and Milan Rathnayake saved face with scores of 70-plus apiece.

However, a century from Smith gave England a huge lead and despite big knocks from Kamindu Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal, the hosts were never in danger and comfortably held on to start the series strongly.

The second Test gets underway at Lord’s on Thursday and England will be full of confidence as they target their fifth consecutive red-ball win. The series concludes at The Oval, with the third and final Test match starting on Friday 6th September.

Can ‘Bazball’ get the better of India?

England have got a busy end to 2024, with white-ball series against Australia and the West Indies, as well as trips to Pakistan and New Zealand for overseas Test matches. They’ll then take on India and the West Indies again in both T20 and ODI matches next year.

McCullum’s side have also scheduled a one-off Test match against Zimbabwe, which gets underway at Trent Bridge next May. That game will give a good indication of where England are before their biggest challenge of 2025 comes in the form of a home Test series against India.

They’ll kick things off in Headingley before heading to Edgbaston, Lord’s and Old Trafford, ahead of finishing the summer at The Oval as is tradition. And while they’re enjoying a strong run of form of late, India are a different beast altogether.

The two sides locked horns earlier this year and India ran out 4-1 winners in their home Test series. England’s bowling attack will still be having nightmares about Yashasvi Jaiswal, who averaged 89 as he scored a phenomenal 712 runs.

The scariest part about Jaiswal is that he’s still only 22, meaning his best years are still a long way ahead of him. For comparison, England’s highest scorer during the series was Crawley, who scored more than 300 runs fewer than the Indian superstar.

But a home series will be a different ball game for England’s players, who will be more used to the climate and the pitches that they face on a daily basis. The best part for McCullum is that we’ve got a year to work out our strongest team as we build towards the future.

This summer saw big changes take place, with James Anderson’s long international career coming to an end, while the likes of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes lost their places in the squad. The England side was packed with untried players and, for the most part, they’ve more than repaid the faith shown in them.

Both Atkinson and Smith were uncapped before the West Indies series and they’ve been the standout players for England so far. Similarly, Bashir has more than played his part as the first-choice spinner. If McCullum can continue to perfect the balance between youth and experience, there’s no reason why they can’t get the better of India, just as they did back in 2018 when the hosts won the series 4-1.

Following England’s disappointing T20 World Cup semi-final exit at the hands of India, attention now turns back to red-ball cricket.

Brendon McCullum’s side take on the West Indies in a three-match Test series, starting at Lord’s on Wednesday 10th July.

Out with the old, in with the new

Following a dismal 3-1 series defeat in India earlier this year, Rob Key and McCullum have rung the changes in order to freshen things up a bit. But in a squad packed with youth, there’s still room for a legend to bow out.

James Anderson is set for one last dance in an England shirt as he prepares to say goodbye following the first Test. The 41-year-old has taken a record 700 wickets for his country and he’ll be hoping to end his international career with a couple more.

One long-term teammate that won’t be part of Anderson’s goodbye party is Jonny Bairstow. The much-maligned wicket keeper received plenty of criticism during the Ashes last summer following a string of sloppy performances.

The Yorkshire stalwart has been left out of the squad, as has Ben Foakes, who has often been mooted as his replacement. Instead, England have taken a left-field approach and have handed a call-up to uncapped Surrey wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Seamer Dillon Pennington has also earned a first call-up, while Gus Atkinson is hoping for a first cap after not playing on the tour of India. Chris Woakes returns to the squad for the first time since the Ashes while Shoaib Bashir has been selected as England’s first-choice spinner.

The squad has been chosen for the first two Tests (minus Anderson), with potential changes taking place ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston.

England squad

Ben Stokes, James Anderson, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Dillon Pennington, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes.

Can the West Indies win?

The West Indies are looking to retain the Richards-Botham trophy after beating England on home soil the last time the two sides met in this format. Back in 2022, the West Indies won the third and final Test to take the series following draws in the first two matches.

The long-standing rivalry between the two sides dates all the way back to 1928 when the West Indies first toured England. And while they’ll be hoping they can spring a surprise, they’ll miss the bowling of Kemar Roach. The 35-year-old is experienced in the English conditions having spent the last three years at Surrey. But Roach misses out with injury and has been replaced by Jeremiah Louis.

Yet West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite will be confident that his side can compete and he’ll be hoping to repeat his marathon effort from two years ago. The former Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire batsman was heavily involved in the second Test last time out.

Brathwaite spent more than 15 hours at the crease, scoring 160 in the first innings, his 10th Test match century, before recording an unbeaten 56 to win his side the match.

Hospitality at Lord’s

As the home of cricket, Lord’s is one of our most popular venues and, as usual, we offer a range of exclusive hospitality packages, meaning you can enjoy the cricket in style.

ICON facility

Situated right next to the warm-up nets, our ICON facility gives you front row seats to the best players in the world as they get ready for action. You’ll then be able to take your seats in the grandstand to ensure you don’t miss a ball.

Enjoy a three-course lunch, afternoon tea and complimentary bar, with visits from cricket legends to keep you entertained throughout the day.

ICON Premium

Upgrade your day at the cricket by going premium. As well as the same food and drinks packages as the ICON facility, alongside visits from legends of the game, you’ll have seats in the Compton Stand Balcony. Plus, you’ll also have access to the legendary Old Clock Tower Bar.

Private box

Enjoy an exclusive facility to yourself with a private box at Lord’s. You’ll have space to entertain up to 18 guests, offering them unrivalled views of the match.

Get set for a premium drinks reception and complimentary bar, as well as a light breakfast, grazing lunch menu and afternoon tea. If that’s not enough, you’ll also have access to the Engage concierge service, offering help with anything you may need.

Fancy joining us for the first Test? Enquire today to book your place.

When are England playing next?

Following the first Test at Lord’s, England then take on the West Indies at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston. McCullum’s side will then face Sri Lanka across three Tests later in the summer.

England v West Indies – 18th – 22nd July, Trent Bridge

England v West Indies – 26th – 30th July, Edgbaston

England v Sri Lanka – 21st – 25th August, Old Trafford

England v Sri Lanka – 29th August – 2nd September, Lord’s

England v Sri Lanka – 6th – 10th September, The Oval

Cricket and summer go hand-in-hand in England and a manic period of top-class action is on the horizon. We’re very much in the calm before the storm, with an explosion of both domestic and international cricket around the corner.

With England scheduled to play in all formats, as well as the return of The Hundred and the T20 Blast, here’s everything you need to know.

A busy summer awaits for England

After a thrilling summer of cricket last year that saw England narrowly miss out on reclaiming the Ashes, we’re set for another exciting few months. England will be busy in all formats both on home soil and further afield.

First up, they take on Pakistan in a T20 series in May that will serve as a warm-up for the World Cup the following month. Four matches at Headingley, Edgbaston, Sophia Gardens and The Oval await, which should give Matthew Mott and Jos Buttler a good idea of how the squad is shaping up.

Pakistan will provide a strong test in anticipation of the tournament, where England will be hoping to retain their crown. The two sides met in the final last time out, with England coming out on top in Australia.

Following the World Cup, which takes place in the West Indies and United States, it’s the return of Bazball. Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes and co. will bring their exciting style back to wow cricket fans in two home Test series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.

They’ll be looking to win the Richards-Botham Trophy for the first time, which is awarded to the winner of their Test clashes against the West Indies. It replaced the Wisden Trophy, which was the prize up until 2020.

The pair last met in this format across 2021 and 2022, with West Indies coming out on top. They claimed the series after winning the third and final Test, with the first two matches drawn. This time, it’s England’s turn to host, with the three matches in July taking place at Lord’s, Trent Bridge and Edgbaston.

Following that, England will then take on Sri Lanka in another three Test matches. First up they’ll play at Old Trafford in August, before heading to the capital in September for matches at Lord’s and The Oval.

Sri Lanka last played a Test in England in 2016, which the hosts comfortably won. England also won the following two Tests between the two, which took place in Sri Lanka.

The fun doesn’t stop there as England will end the season with a white-ball series against old foes Australia. The two will meet in the World Cup group stage and they’re set for a rematch, with a quickfire triple T20 series across five days at the Ageas Bowl, Sophia Gardens and Old Trafford.

They’ll then meet in five ODI matches, where Australia will be heavy favourites having claimed the World Cup at the backend of last year. They start at Trent Bridge before heading north to Headingley and Riverside. The series then goes to Lord’s before finishing at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol.

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Can England retain the T20 World Cup?

The ninth edition of the T20 World Cup heads to the West Indies and United States in June and England are looking to claim a record third title. They’re the reigning champions, having beaten Pakistan in the final two years ago thanks to a 52 not out from Stokes.

They’ll be hoping to improve their white-ball performances following a disappointing ODI World Cup display last year. England finished seventh with a poor showing in India, winning just three of their nine games.

The tournament has expanded from 16 teams to 20 and England have been drawn in Group B. They come up against fierce rivals Scotland in their opening match on 4th June before they face their biggest group test against the Aussies in their second game.

England will also come up against Namibia and Oman. The top two from each group progress to a Super 8s group, where again the top two will progress to the semi-finals. There’s a lot of cricket to play before the final in Barbados on 29th June – will England make it there? Fingers crossed!

It’s party time with the Hundred and T20 Blast!

If you’re a fan of cricket with a party atmosphere, we’ve got good news – it’s not long until The Hundred and the T20 Blast get back underway. The Hundred is heading into its fourth edition and the new 100-ball format has proved to be a smash hit with cricket fans.

Last year saw Southern Brave finally win the women’s title, having lost the previous two finals to Oval Invincibles. Meanwhile, Oval Invincibles claimed their first men’s title, conedming Manchester Originals to their second consecutive final defeat.

Join us for all the double header action at Lord’s and The Oval, including the final on Sunday 18th August.

The T20 Blast is also nearing a return and we’ve got exclusive hospitality packages available for all of Middlesex’s games at Lord’s. Plus, you can join us in the best seats in the house for Finals Day at Edgbaston on 14th September.

England’s Test series continues in India this week and following a disappointing showing last time out, Brendan McCullum’s side are looking to bounce back in style. A shock win to kick off the series gave England hope of causing an upset but India ultimately showed their class, winning the second and third Tests with relative ease.

But with two matches left to play, England remain confident and will be looking to reward the fans that have travelled with something to shout about, as well as make the 4am starts for those of us back home worth it.

The story so far

Given India haven’t lost a Test series at home for 12 years, there wasn’t too much optimism for England going into the series. Yet, as we have often seen with Bazball, McCullum’s side were able to spring a surprise in the opener.

In one of England’s best ever away victories, they stunned the hosts, winning a dramatic first Test by 28 runs. Ollie Pope stole the show with the bat, bouncing back from a solitary run in the first innings to show his class, producing a stunning 196 to record England’s second-highest ever score in a second innings in India.

And it wasn’t just Pope’s runs that made the difference. Lancashire bowler Tom Hartley was a surprise inclusion in the side but a magnificent 7-62 on his debut left India stunned. Hartley’s first ball in Test cricket was knocked for six but he shook off his early nerves to deliver an iconic performance.

While confidence was high in the England camp following the first Test, it didn’t take long for India to bring them back down to earth. They’ve lost just three of their previous 46 home Tests and they soon showed why.

They set England a target of 399 on their second innings and what would have been one of their greatest-ever run chases proved too much. India ultimately won by 106 runs, thanks in large part to opener Yashavi Jaiswal’s phenomenal first innings 209, which included seven sixes.

If India’s performance in the second Test didn’t shock England, they soon made up for it. The third match in the series was about as one-sided as you can get, with the visitors struggling to compete in Rajkot.

The hosts set a strong target of 445 and while England didn’t disgrace themselves in reply, securing 319 thanks to Ben Duckett’s 153, there was still a lot of work to do. But their hopes of a famous upset were soon over before they’d even started.

Jaiswal picked up where he left off, recording 214 not out as India declared, leaving England with a daunting target of 557. A pitiful batting response saw them bowled out for 122, with Mark Wood the only batsman to surpass 20 runs.

It was the biggest win in India’s history and England’s worst defeat for 90 years. Their only slim saving grace is that it surely can’t get any worse for the rest of the series.

England target historic turnaround

The fourth Test gets underway in Ranchi in the early hours of tomorrow and something needs to change following the capitulation last time out. McCullum has named Ollie Robinson in the side for the first time this series, while Shoaib Bashir is back after missing the previous Test.

Rehan Ahmed and Wood miss out from the bowling line-up, which could include Stokes for the first time since his knee surgery in November. The England captain has been seen bowling in the nets and there’s a chance he returns with the ball in hand in a bid to turn his side’s fortunes around.

Stokes has already commented on the conditions of the pitch in Ranchi, which is showing cracks on either side of the wicket before a ball has been bowled. The series has been unpredictable to say the least so far and the quality of the pitch may yet lead to further twists and turns.

While we don’t know what will happen on the pitch, one thing that’s certain is that England won’t make drastic changes to their approach and style of play. Since McCullum and Stokes took the reins, they’ve stuck to their Bazball principles for good and for bad.

Their full throttle, aggressive play looks great when it works, as we saw in the first Test, while it has the potential to lead to embarrassment when it doesn’t quite go England’s way. But with the players conditioned to it and raring to go, there’s every chance that it can yield another iconic result and cause an historic upset in the remaining two Tests of the series.

Looking ahead to a summer of cricket

Regardless of the result, it’s fair to say English cricket is alive and kicking right now and a strong performance in the final two Tests will really whet the appetite for the rest of 2024.

Ahead of the T20 World Cup, England host Pakistan in a warm-up series in May as they look to bounce back from a disappointing showing in last year’s ODI World Cup. Bazball will then be back in action as England host the West Indies and Sri Lanka in two Test series on home soil.

And the action continues well into September, with Australia visiting to take on England in a T20 and ODI series. To see all the action from the best seats in the house, enquire about our exclusive hospitality packages today.

England’s Cricket team kicked off 2024 with a heart-stopping test victory over Indian in Hyderabad. In a 28 run victory that went down to the wire, they began their tour of India in impressive style. A thrilling encounter saw stunning displays from Ollie Pope with the bat and debutant Tom Hartley with the ball. Ben Stokes termed the test match win as the best since he became captain.

However, it wasn’t all plain-sailing for England. The tourists found themselves in difficulty after a first innings deficit of 190, but it was Ollie Pope’s second innings display of 196 that anchored England into position to snatch the result from the hosts, setting them 231 to win. The work wasn’t done yet though, as Tom Hartley, in his test debut, outdid the Indians on their own pitch as his 7-62 sealed the victory for Ben Stokes’ side.

Described by many as one of England’s best ever away wins, they began their tour of India with a fairly average first innings having been 155-7 at one point. That was before a trademark Ben Stokes rally saw them surpass 240 before being the last man out.

India came out to bat, high on confidence after a good bowling display and they batted like it. With Jaiswal, Rahul and Jadeja all hitting over 80 runs, England were on the ropes as the Indians posted 436 with a lead of 190.

In the second innings, it was looking pretty miserable for England once again as they slipped to 163-5. That was until Ollie Pope stepped up with arguably the best innings from an overseas player on an Indian pitch, scoring 196 to stabilise the ship for the tourists. England were 420 all out with India needing 231 to win.

So, could the home side do it? Well England came out firing with Tom Hartley taking the first four wickets of the innings to have the hosts 95-4. There was further misery for India as they slipped to 119-7 with the 6th wicket being courtesy of some brilliant Ben Stokes fielding to run Ravindra Jadeja out much to his side’s dismay. However, a 56-run eighth-wicket stand sparked a glimmer of hope and was enough to heighten England nerves. With that said, ultimately it was Tom Hartley’s spin bowling that sealed the victory, seeing India’s final wicket tumble on 202. The debutant finished on superb figures of 7-62.

Hartley is only the sixth player ever to take a seven-wicket haul on debut and the first Englishmen since Dominic Cork in 1955 against the West Indies. Only 24 years of age, Hartley certainly stamped his name in the mind’s of selectors as the spinner looks to cement his place for the remainder of the tour and beyond. Not to mention, his first delivery of the game was smashed over the rope for six; not the warmest of welcomes to test cricket.

A 28 run victory for The Tourists sets Ben Stokes and his side up well for the remainder of the series, with a journey east awaiting them on Friday, as they travel to Visakhapatnam for the second test. It’s safe to say, morale in the England camp will be high and they will be confident of another victory on the Asian continent to once again unsettle the home side.

Can England go 2-0 up in the series? Or will India be more eager to get revenge? Either way, this series has all the hallmarks of a thrilling contest and perhaps a classic. Want to see England play live from the best seats in the house this summer? Check out Engage Hospitality’s range of options to watch the cricket in style.

Following a wonderful summer of cricket that included one of the best Ashes series in recent memory and another thrilling campaign in The Hundred, fans were eagerly anticipating the World Cup in India.

As reigning champions, England went into the tournament with reasonable expectations, particularly after an emphatic ODI series win over New Zealand.

But it’s been nothing short of a disaster. England have lost five of their six matches so far and sit rooted to the bottom of the table. With three matches to go, Jos Buttler and co. have a job on their hands to avoid complete embarrassment.

England drop the ball

Despite coming out on top in their warm-up ODI series against New Zealand, England failed to continue their form in India. Matthew Mott’s side met the Kiwis in the opening game of the tournament in a repeat of the 2019 World Cup final.

But they couldn’t repeat history and were humiliated, losing by nine wickets. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra barely broke a sweat as they combined for an unbeaten 283 to chase down England with 13.4 overs left.

England bounced back in their second game, scoring an impressive 364/9 to beat Bangladesh by 137 runs. The top order showed their class, as Dawid Malan hit a stunning 140 while Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root both notched half centuries.

But things went downhill after that and England have suffered four successive defeats. They narrowly lost to Afghanistan before a pitiful display against South Africa saw them bowled out for 170 in just 22 overs.

Not even the return of 2019 World Cup hero Ben Stokes could inspire them, with the all-rounder notching just five in his first game back from injury.

Whether they’ve now given up or are simply in a horrendous slump of form remains to be seen, but they’ve since added to their woes with defeats to Sri Lanka and India, being bowled out for 156 and 129 respectively.

England will finish their World Cup campaign with matches against Australia, the Netherlands and Pakistan and they’ll be targeting three wins, for pride if nothing else. The Aussies started the tournament poorly and looked to be the whipping boys but they’ve turned things around, allowing England to claim that title.

India have won all six of their games on home soil so far and look in good shape to win their third World Cup title. Meanwhile, South Africa currently top the table, although they’ve played a game more than the hosts.

Where has it gone wrong for England?

It’s more complicated than just saying ‘England haven’t been good enough’, but they’ve not helped themselves. England haven’t just lost the majority of their World Cup matches – they’ve been demolished.

Not only have they failed to reach 200 runs in three of their games, they’ve only recorded one century and four half centuries in six games. These figures don’t scream ‘defending World Cup champions’ and they demonstrate a lack of players willing to take a game by the scruff of the neck, much like Stokes did four years ago.

This may boil down to poor preparation. Joe Root has already demanded England put more focus on 50-over cricket if they want to enjoy future success. They played just 16 ODIs in the year leading up to the World Cup and even in those matches, a large proportion of the final squad weren’t involved.

Compare that to unbeaten India, who played almost double the amount of matches, with nine of those taking place in September of this year to ensure momentum going into the World Cup.

Elsewhere, the make-up of England’s squad needs refreshing. Eight of the current squad were also involved in 2019 and are all the wrong side of 30, as are Dawid Malan and David Willey. That’s 10 players that likely won’t be in contention for the 2027 squad, meaning a huge overhaul is on the horizon.

Only four players in the current squad are under the age of 30, which doesn’t give much hope to up and coming youngsters. Harry Brook forced his way into the side following a strong run of form in The Hundred and perhaps more players need to be rewarded for their performances, rather than being an automatic pick due to familiarity.

Remarkably, England aren’t mathematically out of the World Cup, meaning a bizarre set of circumstances would see them progress to the semi-finals. Realistically, it’s only a matter of time before they’re eliminated.

With three games left, England have the chance to forge where they see their future in white-ball cricket. And with the T20 World Cup getting underway in just seven months, it may be wise for them to start their preparation early in order to avoid another disaster.

Despite the disappointment of the World Cup, there’s still plenty of cricket to look forward to in 2024, including England’s Test series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka, The Hundred, the T20 Blast. Join us for another year of thrilling action from the best seats in the house with Engage’s exclusive hospitality packages.