Category: Cricket

Having won the women’s competition in each of the first two editions, the Oval Invincibles were able to maintain their winning run at The Hundred with a dominant performance to secure their first men’s title. Meanwhile, the women’s competition continued to bring in record-breaking crowds as the Southern Brave blew away the competition to lift the trophy.

Glory for the Oval Invincibles and Southern Brave

In an edition of The Hundred that saw more close finishes and showcased the depth of talent the UK has to offer, it was the Oval Invincibles who made the short trip across the Thames to Lord’s to secure their first men’s title – and third in total for the franchise having won both the first two titles in the women’s competition.

Helped by a strong core of players who share a dressing room during the county cricket season with Surrey, the franchise based in South London were head and shoulders above the rest of competition in the league stage but found themselves in trouble at 34-5 in the final against the Manchester Originals. However, a strong partnership between Tom Curran and Jimmy Neesham led the fight back for the Invincibles who won the title with a 14-run victory.

The Southern Brave also outclassed the rest of their competition on the way to winning the women’s competition. Having already lost two finals the Brave looked to be on a mission to go one better right from the outset of the tournament, recording 7 wins out of their 8 matches in the group stage.

Danni Wyatt led the way ruthlessly with the bat in the final before Lauren Bell and Kalea Moore both took three wickets to ensure they made no mistake this time on the way to lifting the trophy at the Northen Supercharger’s expense.

With ticket sales, TV audiences and online views all up this year and England’s star players all backing the benefits of the franchise competition, the 2023 edition has enjoyed greater success on and off the pitch in what was arguably the most enjoyable campaign of The Hundred to date.

An edition of The Hundred full of standout performances

As a whole the tournament was able to showcase the depth of elite talent that England have at their disposal heading into a hectic 12 months of cricket that includes a Cricket World Cup, a T20 World Cup and multiple Test Series’.

Harry Brook – who had been left out of England’s World Cup squad just days before – played arguably the standout innings of this year’s tournament. A destructive 105 not out off just 42 balls was an extraordinary summary of the talent the 24-year-old possess and offered fans in attendance another glimpse into the exciting future of English cricket.

The incredible display, however, was not enough to keep his team the Northern Superchargers from finishing bottom, just behind the London Spirit who slumped to seventh after a poor start and a couple of games washed out by rain.

England’s white-ball captain Jos Buttler also continued to lead by example as he ended the competition as the leading run scorer with the Manchester Originals. With a total of 391 runs he set a new record for most runs in a season and will be hoping to keep that form going into the World Cup this October.

In the bowling department, his teammate Calvin Harrison stole the show with the best bowling figures recorded in the men’s Hundred when he took 5-11 to help the Originals finish second.

Meanwhile the Southern Brave had an unforgettable season in the bowling departments. All-rounder Georgia Adams finished comfortably above any other bowler in the women’s competition, taking 16 wickets on the way to winning the title. In the men’s competition Tymal Mill also impressed with his pace bowling and effective variations. His breathtaking hat trick for the Brave against the Welsh Fire was the highlight of an exceptional season in which he ended on top of the men’s wicket taking column too.

What’s up next on the calendar?

Following the conclusion of The Hundred, England now turn their attention to preparing for October’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup with important T20 and ODI series’ against New Zealand.

England announced their provisional team for the 2023 World Cup with the notable inclusion of Ben Stokes who has come back out of one-day retirement to play at the World Cup in India this Autumn.

The news did stir some debate amongst fans due to the omission of Harry Brook to make way for England’s star man, meaning all eyes will be on the performances of Stokes and the rest of the English batting line-up.

Elsewhere in the squad Joe Root helped his cause for being included in the ODI team with some impressive performances in The Hundred – including an impressive unbeaten 72 for the Trent Rockets at Lord’s against London Spirit. Looking to make his mark within England’s white ball setup, the legendary Yorkshire batsman also enjoyed a spell with the Rajasthan Royals at the IPL in the spring and looks to be in good touch just at the right time.

Sam Curran, Jason Roy and England’s surprise pick Gus Atkinson all come out of The Hundred full of confidence too having been a part of the victorious Oval Invincibles side. Along with the backbone of the England squad, including Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali, they will be looking to entertain fans once again across country at venues such as Emirates Old Trafford, Lord’s and The Kia Oval against New Zealand. 

England v New Zealand T20 Series

England v New Zealand ODI Series

Following the hype of The Ashes summer attention now swiftly turns to the third edition of The Hundred this August.

Stars of England’s Test side Zak Crawley and Mark Wood will line up for London Spirit at the Home of Cricket while the Oval Invincibles women’s side have their sights set on retaining the title for a third consecutive year.

Oval Invincibles chase down a hat trick of titles

Champions in each of the first two edition of The Hundred, the Oval Invincibles women’s side go into this year’s tournament confident of coming out on top once again in 2023.

Notably they have retained their captain Dane Van Niekerk, Suzie Bates and PCA Women’s Young Player of the Year in 2021 Alice Capsey who, despite her age, will be crucial with the bat and ball. The franchise based at the historic Kia Oval have also opted to keep together most of the squad that beat the Trent Rockets in last year’s final in their hopes of making it three in a row.

As for the Men’s team, they also pack a lot of power which should suit them well heading into the 100-ball format. They will be captained by Sam Billings and are able to brag plenty of international experience with spinners Sunil Narine and Adam Zampa as well as the South African power hitter Heinrich Klasson who averaged a very impressive 49.78 at this year’s IPL.

The Invincibles also have an abundance of domestic talent throughout their team. All-rounder Sam Curran became the most expensive player in IPL history earlier in the year and a lot of their hopes of victory will rest on his shoulders once again.

Opener Jason Roy and all-rounder Will Jacks – who holds the record for the highest score in the competition – also have the ability to win matches single-handedly. They both go into the tournament with a point to prove with hopes of getting into England’s white-ball squad for the T20 and ODI series’ against New Zealand.

The men’s side will miss the express pace of bowler Saqib Mahmood though who has been ruled out through injury. Despite that loss to their bowling department the Invincibles will believe that they have enough quality in their side to break into the top three and make it to the final at Lord’s for the first time.

The Hundred Fixtures for Oval Invincibles 2023:

Sunday 6th August – Oval Invincibles v Welsh Fire, The Kia Oval

Wednesday 9th August – Oval Invincibles v Manchester Originals, The Kia Oval

Tuesday 15th August – Oval Invincibles v London Spirit, The Kia Oval

Monday 21st August – Oval Invincibles v Trent Rockets, The Kia Oval

Ashes stars at the heart of the Spirit team

England’s Ashes stars Zak Crawley and Mark Wood will be key to London Spirit’s chances of improving on their third placed finish last campaign and reaching the final in 2023.

Led by batsman Dan Lawrence for the first time, the Spirits’ biggest strength lies within their batting department with Crawley, Rossington, Wade and Bell-Drummond all available to open. Fast bowler Mark Wood also showed how valuable he can be during the Ashes and London Spirit will be hoping he can carry his Ashes form into the tournament.

Questions do remain however over the lack of a true power hitter later down the order. The team who play they’re home fixtures at Lord’s Cricket Ground no longer have the heavy hitting West Indian Keiran Pollard so they will be relying on their skipper Lawrence, all-rounder Liam Dawson and New Zealand international Daryl Mitchell to fill the gap.

The men’s side will hope to continue their upwards trajectory after improving on their last place finish in 2021 when finishing third last season. Their women’s side on the other hand slipped down the table to a disappointing seventh in the previous edition so will be looking for an improved performance this time around.

They will hope the signing of Australia’s Grace Harris will help them to achieve this. She will slot in alongside England’s captain Heather Knight to create a formidable hitting line up. Lauren Filer – another Ashes star within the Spirit’s team – will also help to provide impressive variety to their bowling attack.

To kick off they’re campaign, the London Spirit host their London rivals Oval Invincibles at Lord’s in an unmissable clash between two sides who will both strongly fancy their chances of winning the third edition of The Hundred.

The Hundred Fixtures for London Spirit 2023:

Wednesday 2 August – London Spirit v Oval Invincibles, Lord’s Cricket Ground

Tuesday 8 August – London Spirit v Southern Brave, Lord’s Cricket Ground

Saturday 12 August – London Spirit v Trent Rockets, Lord’s Cricket Ground

Friday 18 August – London Spirit v Northern Superchargers, Lord’s Cricket Ground

England go 2-0 down in yet another thrilling 2023 Ashes test.

Another nail-biting encounter and another agonising defeat for England in a somewhat controversial second Ashes Test at Lord’s. A thrilling game of cricket saw Australia come away as winners by 43 runs after yet another dogged Ben Stokes innings of 155. The defeat saw England go 2-0 down to Australia in the series with the home side having a mountain to climb if they are to have any hope of regaining the Ashes.

After losing the toss, Australian opening pair David Warner and Usman Khawaja strode out to the crease to put on an opening partnership of 73. It was Josh Tongue, in only his second test match for England, who drew first blood as he dismissed Khawaja for a timid 17 compared to his superb batting display at Edgbaston. It was also Tongue who dismissed Warner for 66, the number one’s highest score so far in the series. But it was Steve Smith, England’s nemesis, who was back to his usual self as he scored yet another test match century, his 32nd of his career and his second at Lord’s. It was a dominant first innings display from Australia and one that saw them bowled out for 416.

It was then up to Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley to chip away at that total with the pair achieving England’s highest opening partnership since 2013 of 91. Fast hands from Australian wicket keeper Alex Carey saw Crawley fall for 48 as Duckett ploughed on. Pope was the second to fall as a culmination of poor batting and tactical bowling saw England slip from 188-1 to 222-4. Alongside it fell the wicket of Ben Duckett pulling to David Warner at fine leg on a bitter-sweet 98 runs. A good knock, but not good enough as far as England were concerned.

The next 6 wickets fell for 103 runs as England saw themselves bowled, or ‘bounced’, out for 325 in front of a full capacity home crowd. Some would argue a good score but after starting so strongly, England fans couldn’t help but think ‘what if’.

And so back out came the Australian openers hoping to extend their lead of 91 runs. Extending their lead they did, but not quite how they wanted as far as Pat Cummins was concerned, as they were bowled out for 279 while seeing 92 runs fall for 7 wickets. England deployed a similar tactic used by Cummins and his side, bowling the short stuff, setting England a target of 371 to win.

It was always going to be a tough target for England to chase, however, one thing was for certain, they weren’t about to give it up easily. A poor start from England made day 5 look uncertain after some unplayable Aussie bowling saw Stokes’ side 45-4. But it was the two Bens, Duckett and Stokes, who rallied taking the score to 114-4 overnight.

Duckett was the first to fall on Day 5 for another commendable knock of 83 silencing many of the critics after the first test. England found themselves 177-5 with a mammoth task ahead of them as Jonny Bairstow came out to bat.

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A dubious dropped catch by Mitchell Starc was given ‘not out’ on day 4, as he appeared to run the ball along the ground after catching it. This was much to the disagreement of former Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath exclaiming it was ‘the biggest load of rubbish he had ever seen.’ But Starc’s drop wasn’t the biggest controversy of England’s second innings.

In the last delivery of a Cameron Green over, Bairstow ducked out of the way of a short ball, tapped his foot and began walking to meet Stokes for a chat. While doing so he left his crease as wicketkeeper Alex Carey threw the ball and hit the stumps. Australia appealed and umpire Marais Erasmus had no choice but to give Jonny Bairstow out for 10 runs.

Australia’s unsporting behaviour was ridiculed by many and very nearly came back to bite them. The dismissal of Bairstow only put Stokes in the mood as he raced from 62 to 100 in just 16 balls. Partnered with Stuart Broad, Stokes hit nine sixes, a record in an Ashes innings, while Broad tried to start an argument with anyone in Australian whites. Dropped on 77 and twice on 114, it was looking like another miraculous innings from the all rounder and he would have had to surpass even his heroics from Headingley four years ago. And he was threatening to do so until a top-edge on 155 off the bowling of Josh Hazelwood. A trudge back to the pavilion after another remarkable innings from the Durham man as he got his team to within 70 of the target.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. England were shortly bowled out afterwards for 327 runs, with Josh Tongue being the last wicket to fall.

Positives for England

Yet again an enthralling test match that went right down to the final day and a match that England can take many positives from. Consecutively scoring more than 300 runs against Australia is something many England fans could only have dreamed of in 2019 the last time the visitors were here. Impressive batting displays from Duckett and Stokes will give England confidence ahead of the next test on Thursday. Not to mention, an injury to Australian spinner Nathan Lyon on day 2 ruling him out of the Ashes which could be pivotal if England are to find a way back into this series.

Questions over ‘Bazball’

After another defeat, England fans and critics are starting to question whether this new era of entertaining cricket from England known as ‘Bazball’ is really working. This comes after England’s batting display where many claim the top and middle order ‘threw their wickets away’ falling victim to the short ball that Australia persistently bowled. Particularly, it was Harry Brook who fell under heavy criticism after his shot caught by Cummins was described as not dissimilar to a ‘baseball’ shot. With that said, when England bowled the short ball to Australia, they also fell into a similar trap. So is it really poor cricket or is it about practising to face the short ball?

A game of controversy

In a game that saw some incredible cricket played, it was clouded over by some questionable Australian tactics after the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow. There is no question that it was out, however, should Pat Cummins have withdrawn the appeal and invited Bairstow back on? The incident resulted in many disagreements including constant booing from the home crowd, confrontation between Usman Khawaja and MCC members as well as Stuart Broad doing his best to wind up the Australian fielders explaining to Alex Carey ‘it was the worst thing he has ever seen in cricket’. Many have branded the Australian team a ‘disgrace’ and it is safe to say it will be a fiery encounter at Headingley on Thursday.

England have a mountain to climb if they are to have any hope of regaining the Ashes and the task will require them to win all three of their remaining games. They haven’t played particularly badly throughout the series and if the previous tests are anything to go off, it will be another edge of the seat affair at Headingley. Why not watch the Ashes from the best seats in the house with Engage Hospitality?

England lose a close first test of the 2023 Ashes

After months of build up and selection headaches, cricket fans up and down the country finally got to see how ‘Bazball’ would fare against Australia in the first Test of this Ashes series.

Ultimately, the result didn’t go England’s way but in one of the most enthralling Test matches in recent history, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic going forward.

Any nerves that had set in at Edgbaston were quickly put to bed as Zak Crawley smashed Pat Cummins for four off the Test’s first ball. That confidence from England’s opener urged on the vocal crowd and set the tone for the rest of the match.

Ben Stokes and co. epitomised England’s new bold, aggressive and all-round entertaining approach as they built up a healthy first innings score. And our new era offered the first signs of unpredictability as well. Stokes shocked fans, pundits and Aussies alike as he opted to declare on 393 before the first day had come to a close.

It proved to be a risky strategy. Australia, led by the stubborn Usman Khawaja who racked up 141, got to just 7 runs shy of England’s total, meaning it was all to play for going into the second innings.

As England went back out to bat, they would have been hoping for more than 273, which left the visitors with a chase just one run fewer than their unsuccessful Edgbaston target back in 2005.

But on a final day that was disrupted by rain, offering ideal conditions for England’s swing bowlers, Australia somehow ground their way to a two-wicket victory thanks to an impressive 55-run partnership from Cummins and Nathan Lyon.

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What positives can England take?

In years gone by, a defeat like this would have resulted in doom and gloom. Although, such is the nature of this new era of English cricket, attention is already focussed on continuing in the same manner next time out.

The match was decided on fine margins. It could have been so different had Stuart Broad’s foot been an inch further back for Khawaja’s no-ball dismissal or if our fielders showed a tiny bit more composure on one of our many dropped catches.

By the time the second Test comes around, Moeen Ali’s blistered finger will have had time to heal, giving England an extra weapon in attack. And while there were some grumblings about Jonny Bairstow’s capability as wicket keeper, four catches in Australia’s second innings will have done his confidence the world of good.

Stokes has already made it clear that he won’t change approach for the Lord’s Test and for good reason. For the first time in a long time, England are bold, exciting and entertaining. It feels as though interest in Test cricket in this country is back to where it should be – long may it continue.

Test 2: Lord’s – 28th June to 2nd July

Next up, Ben Stokes takes his side to Lord’s, where the skipper scored a second innings century and was crowned player of the match last time out in a test that was eventually drawn due to the rain.

The scene of some of the most iconic moments in Ashes history, Lord’s is regarded as one of the most prestigious sporting venues in the world. Can England create magic once again in London?

Hospitality at Lord’s

At The Ivy you’ll enjoy a stunning day of exquisite cuisine at the famous Ivy restaurant in between watching all the thrilling action at Lord’s.

Includes a hot breakfast, premium lunch and afternoon tea at The Ivy, as well as inclusive drinks throughout including access to the Father Time Bar after 4pm. Only available for days one to three of the Lord’s test.

There’s no better place to watch a full day’s cricket than at Lord’s in our ICON facility at the Nursery Pavilion. You’ll be entertained throughout by world-renowned cricket names and ICON includes a full complimentary premium food and drink offering in the Grand Stand.

Secure your own private box at Lord’s for your company to enjoy a premium experience at the home of cricket. Holding up to 18 guests, with a designated seating area, a complimentary bar and a brilliant informal grazing menu.

A Summer of Ashes Cricket

An English summer wouldn’t be quite the same without cricket’s two oldest rivals locking horns in the Ashes – and you can be part of the action, with five thrilling Test matches to look forward to.

For the first time since 2019, England go head-to-head with bitter rivals Australia on home soil in a bid to win the trophy that may be world sport’s smallest in size, but is arguably its biggest in tradition.

It all started at the Oval way back in 1882, when Australia shocked the world by beating England for the first time. A newspaper claimed that it was the ‘death of English cricket’, joking in an obituary that English cricket would be burned and the ashes sent to Australia. Fast forward to the next tour in Oz and a pair of bails were burned, placed in an urn and awarded to the winner. The rest, as they say, is history.

England haven’t claimed the famous urn since 2015, with Australia targeting their fourth successive series win and their 35th Ashes title. But a lot has changed for the hosts since their disappointing showing ‘down under’ at the start of last year and they’ll be keen to show the world that English Test cricket is well and truly back.

The Ashes 2023

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2023 Ashes team news

Having lost the last three Ashes series, England have undergone a huge overhaul, with T20 World Cup hero Ben Stokes now leading them as captain. The all-rounder scored the most runs for England in 2019 and, alongside coach Brendon McCullum, he’s looking to turn their fortunes around.

They’ll be aided by former captain Joe Root, who’s still a key cog in the side despite stepping down as skipper last year. Johnny Bairstow has been recalled having recovered from a broken leg, with fellow wicket keeper Ben Foakes set to miss out.

Sadly, England will be without Jofra Archer, who has been ruled out for the entire summer with a stress fracture in his elbow. They’re also sweating on the fitness of veteran Jimmy Anderson, who is struggling with a groin injury.

For the Aussies, Steve Smith will be looking to continue his stunning Ashes form in England, having finished as the highest runs scorer in 2019, notching three centuries.

Meanwhile, captain Pat Cummins will once again strike fear into the hearts of England’s batting line-up. The fast bowler has topped the wicket-taking charts in each of the last two Ashes series.

Elsewhere, David Warner is expected to keep his place in the squad despite his disappointing record in England, recording an average of just 9.6 in 2019.

2023 Ashes Schedule

Test 1: Edgbaston – 16th to 20th June

The first Test takes us to Edgbaston, home of Warwickshire and the annual host of the T20 Vitality Blast Finals Day. England will be looking to get off to a strong start but will be wary of a repeat of the opener in 2019.

Smith scored centuries in both innings last time out, giving Australia their first win at Edgbaston since 2001, as well as their first win in an opening Ashes Test on English soil since 2005.

Hospitality at Edgbaston

The Skyline is an exciting, new and premium facility situated at the very height of the Pavilion Stand. Boasting a live DJ, premium buffet and a complimentary drinks package.

The 1882 Club offers you the chance to enjoy the day’s play from a fantastic viewing restaurant on the second tier of the Pavilion Stand.

Aylesford Boxes are located behind the Raglan and Priory Stands, catering for 12 or 16 guests with their very own private balcony.

The Edgbaston Experience Club hospitality offers an informal option.  The quality of the breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea will not disappoint.

TV screens are on display so you can soak up the build-up and analysis during the breaks in play and you will only ever be a short stroll from your official match seat.

Test 2: Lord’s – 28th June to 2nd July

Next up, Ben Stokes takes his side to Lord’s, where the skipper scored a second innings century and was crowned player of the match last time out in a test that was eventually drawn due to the rain.

The scene of some of the most iconic moments in Ashes history, Lord’s is regarded as one of the most prestigious sporting venues in the world. Can England create magic once again in London?

Hospitality at Lord’s

At The Ivy you’ll enjoy a stunning day of exquisite cuisine at the famous Ivy restaurant in between watching all the thrilling action at Lord’s.

Includes a hot breakfast, premium lunch and afternoon tea at The Ivy, as well as inclusive drinks throughout including access to the Father Time Bar after 4pm. Only available for days one to three of the Lord’s test.

There’s no better place to watch a full day’s cricket than at Lord’s in our ICON facility at the Nursery Pavilion. You’ll be entertained throughout by world-renowned cricket names and ICON includes a full complimentary premium food and drink offering in the Grand Stand.

Secure your own private box at Lord’s for your company to enjoy a premium experience at the home of cricket. Holding up to 18 guests, with a designated seating area, a complimentary bar and a brilliant informal grazing menu.

Test 3: Headingley – 6th to 10th July

The midway point of this year’s Ashes takes place at Yorkshire’s Headingley, where another Stokes century saw England narrowly win by one wicket four years ago.

Having fallen to a dismal 67 runs in the first innings, the hosts recorded their highest ever successful run chase in a Test match. That iconic comeback joined Ian Botham’s 1981 heroics in the Headingley history books.

Hospitality at Headingley

Hospitality for The Ashes Series is incredibly high in demand and Headingley hospitality is always highly sought after, including some of the best packages in world cricket.

Test 4: Old Trafford – 19th to 23rd July

The old enemies stay up north for the fourth Test and England will be forgiven for having nightmares ahead of the clash in Manchester. Australia retained the Ashes with a win here last time, strolling to victory thanks to Steve Smith’s incredible 211 runs.

Lancashire’s home patch was also the scene of the ‘ball of the century’, with Shane Warne famously dismissing ICON’s very own Mike Gatting with the first ball of the Test back in 1993.

Hospitality at Old Trafford

The ICON facility at The Emirates Old Trafford is a stunning hospitality option situated within a premium section of The Point.

Guests can enjoy a specially designed menu from our award-winning catering team, plus full complimentary drinks service and special appearance from a Cricketing legend.

Test 5: Kia Oval – 27th to 31st July

The final Test of the series sees the two sides return to the Kia Oval, the place where the Ashes began 140 years ago. Joe Root notched his 7,000th Test run on Surrey’s turf as England won to level the series in 2019.

But it was too little too late as the draw saw holders Australia keep the urn once again. Fancy England to get their vengeance this time around? You can support the team in style with one of Engage’s Ashes hospitality packages.

Hospitality at the Kia Oval

Our brilliant ICON facility in the second tier of the JM Finn stand is one of the best views you can have at the Kia Oval.

You’ll be entertained throughout by world-renowned cricket names and ICON includes a full complimentary premium food and drink offering.

Our LIVE hospitality package at the Kia Oval is a more relaxed, informal hospitality offering that also provides a brilliant view of the cricket, with a complimentary bar for you to enjoy throughout the day.

Alongside a brilliant informal buffet menu, it’s a fantastic opportunity to meet and take photos with cricket legends.

Which Ashes stars are playing in the IPL?

The Ashes are fast approaching and England haven’t won the famous Urn since 2015, including two 4-0 series losses away in Australia.

Ben Stoke’s men will be looking for revenge under new[ish] coach Brendon McCullum who led England to an unbeaten 2022 after he took charge that March.

The bookmakers can’t split the two sides ahead of the tournament. At this stage, predicting a winner is virtually impossible, but one thing is for sure, the series will be a spectacle.

The real winners are going to be those who can get their hands on tickets across the five nominated venues; Edgbaston, Lord’s, Headingley, Old Trafford and The Oval. Not only are these some of the most sacred stadiums in world cricket, but the promise of more runs and quick wickets courtesy of ‘Bazball’ should make this series one of the most entertaining yet.

With little to choose between the two teams, cricket analysts are looking for any clues ahead of the 1st Test in June. A glance at both prospective squads and both England and Australia have key players playing in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the series.

The IPL is the pinnacle of franchise T20 cricket and boasts some of the biggest stars in the sport including David Warner, Virat Kohli and Ben Stokes. The league began in late March with the final game being played on 1 June, just two weeks before the first Ashes Test.

Ahead of the IPL, the respective stances of the two Ashes captains was notable. Pat Cummins of Australia opted out of this year’s IPL in order to focus on the Ashes. Ben Stokes, on the other hand, has received pain-killing injections to ensure he can play in the tournament.

With one eye on the Ashes, here’s a look at some of the key players for England and Australia currently plying their trade in the IPL.

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England Test players in the IPL

Ben Stokes (Chennai Super Kings)

Test skipper Ben Stokes has missed the first two games of the IPL due to injury but is set to return as a specialist batter for the Chennai Super Kings before heading off to prepare for England’s first Test of the summer against Ireland on 1 June.

England fans will be praying Stokes avoids an injury during his stint in the IPL. As captain, he carries the hopes of a nation on his shoulders, a position he seems to thrive in. During the 2019 Ashes, at the end of a decisive third Test at Headingley, Stokes finished unbeaten on 135 as England recorded their highest successful chase. His final four was one of the most thrilling moments in the history of the Ashes.

Harry Brook – Sunrisers Hyderabad

Yorkshire batter Harry Brook was snapped up by the Sunrisers Hyderabad just four months after making his Test cricket debut. Brook recently recorded his first century in this year’s IPL after a slow start in his opening three games. Since making his Test cricket debut, Brook has scored 807 runs and averaged 100.87 in his first nine innings – a new Test cricket record. England fans will be hoping he carries this form over into the Ashes.

Jofra Archer – Mumbai Indians

Fast bowler Jofra Archer will have his finger crossed for a Test return after a two-year absence due to injury. For Archer, the IPL may have come at the right time as he tries to build up match fitness.

Archer has claimed 42 wickets with an average of 31.04 in his 13 Tests for England, although his last appearance came during a 10-wicket defeat against India in February 2021, a year before McCullum took charge.

Joe Root – Rajasthan Royals

Star batter and former England captain Joe Root makes his IPL debut for the Rajasthan Royals. Root hasn’t played T20 cricket since 2019 and it’s unclear how much of a role he will play for the Royals, although the experience will stand him and other England players in good stead ahead of the ODI World Cup in India this Autumn.

As for Test cricket, Root’s record is there for all to see, he is England’s second-highest Test run-scorer of all time behind Alistar Cook, and he’s only 32.

Australia Test players in the IPL

Cameron Green – Mumbai Indians

23-year-old all-rounder Cameron Green became the most expensive Australian in the history of the IPL when he joined the Mumbai Indians for approximately $3.15 million AUD. Considered to be of the country’s brightest young stars, Green claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket in 2020 and scored his first Test century in March 2023 in a series against India.

Josh Hazlewood – Royal Challengers Bangalore

The tall pace bowler has been a part of the last two Ashes series and has often been compared to Aussie bowling legend Glenn McGrath.

Hazlewood currently ranks no.2 in ODI, and no.1 in T20I in the ICC Men’s Player Rankings. He was a part of the Australian side that won both 2015 Cricket World Cup and 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Australia fans will be hoping he can carry over his strong form with the white ball into Test cricket, although his Ashes build up has been blighted by injury – he is yet to make an appearnace for the Royal Challengers due to an issue with his achilles.

David Warner – Delhi Capitals

A batsman whose skill has been undermined by several controversies, the most high profile of which was a ball-tampering scandal in 2018 that ultimately led to a one year suspension from international cricket.

The former vice Test captain is the third highest run scorer of all-time in the IPL but he’s currently winless in five matches with the Capitals this year. The left-hander is yet to hit a six in 228 runs and 195 deliveries in the competition, which is well below expectiations for a cricketer of his stature in the T20 format.

Time will tell if Warner finds his feet before the start of the Ashes, where a more conservative approach might suit the Aussies go-to opener of the last decade.

Our Ashes Hospitality

Experience one of Cricket’s biggest test matches with Engage Hospitality. With packages for every test match over the summer, Engage can guarantee great service while watching an exciting match.

Find out more about our Ashes Hospitality.