Category: Cricket

Rarely has there been so much optimism surrounding England Test cricket. Following the Ashes debacle down under in 2021/22, England secured eight wins from nine since April last year.

The most recent of these victories came against Pakistan in December 2022, as the tourists claimed a series whitewash, winning the final test by eight wickets.

It capped off a remarkable year for England in Test cricket, one that saw them defeat New Zealand, India and South Africa. However, it’s not just England’s winning record that is impressing fans but the style in which they are playing.

‘Baz’ ball success

Much of England’s recent success can be attributed to New Zealander Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum, who was announced as England’s Head Coach in April last year. Since then, England have averaged 4.77 runs every over, their previous best was 3.81 in 2011 and they have only surpassed the 3.5-run mark in five out of 145 years of Test cricket.

McCullum’s super-aggressive tactics have been likened to T20 – regardless of England’s position in the game, all batters are encouraged to go for their shots rather than sit back and defend.

In a sport so often written off as slow and boring, this England team is reinventing the way Test cricket can be played, and winning convincingly in the process. It is therefore unsurprising to see so many fans buoyed by a festival of summer cricket.

Before England’s Ashes showdown with Australia, they must first take on the Kiwis in a two-test series in New Zealand. This will be the second time New Zealand have faced England in the McCullum era, it will be fascinating to see if they approach the game any differently, we know England won’t.

Summer Test Cricket

England vs Ireland: Thursday June 1 – Monday June 5 – Lord’s, London

In a one-off Test match ahead of the Ashes England will take on Ireland at Lord’s. The last time the two teams faced each other was in the T20 World Cup in October 2022, when Ireland caused an upset, winning by five runs. Thankfully for England that would remain the low point of a tournament they ended up winning, beating Pakistan in the final by five wickets.

The Ashes 2023

1st Test – Friday June 16 – Tuesday June 20 – Edgbaston, Birmingham

2nd Test – Wednesday June 28 – Sunday July 2 – Lord’s, London

3rd Test – Thursday July 6 – Monday July 10 – Headingley, Leeds

4th Test – Wednesday July 19 – Sunday July 23 – Old Trafford, Manchester

5th Test – Thursday July 27 – Monday July 31 – The Oval, London

The highlight of the summer is undoubtedly the 2023 Ashes series in England. Australia is currently the world’s number-one ranked Test side and will arguably be England’s toughest opponent since McCullum was appointed, not least because of their impressive bowling attack, which will put England’s front-foot batting firmly under the microscope.

With the likes of Hazelwood, Cummins and Starc, Australia boasts one of the fastest bowling lineups of all time and are likely to meet fire with fire if England continues to bat as aggressively as they are.

England haven’t lost an Ashes series on home soil since 2001 and 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.

Not only that but the aggressive style of both teams could lead to quicker innings and reduce the impact the notoriously unpredictable English weather might have on playing time.

Summer T20 cricket

Twenty20 International Series vs New Zealand

Wednesday August 30 – Riverside, Chester-le-Street (6pm)

Friday September 1 – Old Trafford, Manchester (6pm)

Sunday September 3 – Edgbaston, Birmingham (2:30pm)

Thursday September 5 – Trent Bridge, Nottingham (6pm)

Many England fans are still buzzing from England’s T20 World Cup triumph in October. With a series to contest with New Zealand shortly after the Ashes, will it be a case of bouncing back from defeat or building on the momentum from victory? One thing is for sure, putting bat to ball for 20 Overs will be the perfect response.

T20 Series

England v New Zealand

Summer ODI cricket

ODI Series vs New Zealand

Friday September 8 – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (12:30pm)

Sunday September 10 – The Ageas Bowl, Southampton (11am)

Wednesday September 13 – The Oval, London (12:30pm)

Friday September 15 – Lord’s, London (12:30pm)

ODI Series vs Ireland

Wednesday September 20 – Headingley, Leeds (12:30pm)

Saturday September 23 – Trent Bridge, Nottingham (11am)

Tuesday September 26 – Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (12:30pm)

With all the excitement of The Ashes and England’s recent T20 success, it’s easy to forget that there’s a cricket World Cup to be won this year, which is played in the ODI format (One inning with 50 Overs per side). Of course, England will go into the tournament as reigning champs, and who could forget the heroics of Ben Stokes in the final vs New Zealand in 2019? The all-rounder scored 14 runs from four balls to take the match into an unprecedented Super Over, with six balls for each side to decide the winner. England ultimately claimed victory and will be hoping to repeat their success at the World Cup in India this October/November.

However, before that, England will play against New Zealand and Ireland in warm-up matches before the big event. With Ben Stokes retired from the ODI format, will a new England player announce themselves as a potential hero before entering the world stage?

ODI Series

England v New Zealand

This time last year, England’s Test team were well on their way to a 0-4 Ashes thrashing in Australia. The dismal performance down under sparked a series of sackings, including that of head coach Chris Silverwood.

Fast-forward to winter 2022 and ‘Bazball’ is in full swing under new coach Brendon McCullum, who, along with captain Ben Stokes has secured eight wins from nine since April.

The latest of those victories came against Pakistan on December 12th, as the tourists sealed a 26-run victory in the second Test in Multan, to clinch the series with one Test remaining. England won the 1st Test in record-breaking fashion, by becoming the first team ever to end day one of a Test match with four centurions, they were also the first team to cross the 500-run mark on the first day of a Test match since Australia in 1910.

It caps off a remarkable year for England in Test cricket, one that has seen them defeat New Zealand, India and South Africa. However, it’s not just England’s winning record that is impressing fans but the style in which they are playing.

What is Bazball?

It has been a theme since New Zealander Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum took the realms – to bat every Test match as though it’s T20. Since April, England has averaged 4.77 runs every over, their previous best was 3.81 in 2011 and they have only surpassed the 3.5 run mark in five out of 145 years of Test cricket.

Regardless of their position within the game, the approach of the England batting team under McCullum has been to bat aggressively at all costs. This was none more evident than in the 5th Test against India in July, where England chased a record 378 to win the match.

With each passing victory, the feeling has always been England will get found out by their next opponent, but that so far hasn’t happened. In Spring 2023, England will face New Zealand for the second time under McCullum, it will be fascinating to see how they will fare against a team that has played them in this groove before.

Ashes 2023

All this leads nicely into the 2023 Ashes series in England. Australia is currently the world’s number-one ranked Test side and will arguably be England’s toughest opponent since McCullum was appointed, not least because of their impressive bowling attack, which will put England’s front-foot batting firmly under the microscope.

With the likes of Hazelwood, Cummins and Starc Australia boast one of the fastest bowling lineups of all time and are likely to meet fire with fire if England continues to bat as aggressively as they are.

England haven’t lost an Ashes series on home soil since 2001 and 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.

Not only that but the aggressive style of both teams could lead to quicker innings and reduce the impact the notoriously unpredictable English weather might have on playing time.

Edgbaston

The 1st Test of the Ashes Series will be hosted at Edgbaston in Birmingham between 16–20 June 2023. The venue has happy memories for head coach McCullum who achieved the highest score in English domestic T20 history for the Birmingham Bears with 158 not out off 64 balls.

Edgbaston was also the setting for England’s closest-ever Ashes Test victory in 2005, where the Barmy Army roared the team on to a two-run victory, hailed by many as the greatest Test of all time.

Edgbaston – 1st Ashes Test

Friday 16th – Tuesday 21st June

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Lord’s

Commonly referred to as the home of cricket, this is a must-visit stadium for any self-respecting cricket fan. The historic ground will host the 2nd Test on 28 June–2 July 2023.

Not always the happiest stomping ground for England but a history-making venue nonetheless, in 2005 Glen McGrath of Australia got five wickets from 54 balls to rescue his side in one of the greatest bowling displays in Ashes history.

Lord’s – 2nd Ashes Test

Wednesday 28th June – Sunday 2nd July

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Headingley

Based in Leeds, this ground will host the 3rd Test from 6–10 July 2023.

In 2019, England chased down their highest-ever fourth innings target in the third Test of the 2019 Ashes series against Australia. England scored 362-9 to win, with Ben Stokes scoring 135 while being latterly partnered by the bespectacled Jack Leach who scored 1. This was one of the greatest Test matches in recent memory, as the Headingley crowd cheered the winning boundary by Stokes. A moment that still gives England fans goosebumps to this day.

Headingley – 3rd Ashes Test

Thursday 6th July – Monday 10th July

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Old Trafford

The 4th Test will be in Manchester between 19–23 July 2023. It is the second oldest Test venue after The Oval and hosted the first Ashes Test in England in 1884.

In the 1956 Ashes series, England’s right-arm spinner Jim Laker claimed a ten-wicket haul in single innings and achieved 19 wickets for 90 runs – a bowling record which is unmatched in Test and first-class cricket, but is only one England capitulation from being broken in 2023!

Emirates Old Trafford – 4th Ashes Test

Wednesday 19th – Sunday 23rd July

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The Oval

As is tradition, the final Ashes Test will be at The Oval in South London on 27–31 July 2023.

The closest Ashes Series’ have all been decided here, including 2005, where a young Kevin Pietersen secured England’s first Ashes since 1989.

With the 2023 series expected to be every bit as close, The Oval is definitely a venue to keep an eye on.

The Kia Oval – 5th Ashes Test

Thursday 27th July – Monday 31st July

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Written by @BayleyCakes_

Disruptions don’t scupper England’s explosiveness to secure the series

England sealed an impressive 2-1 series win against South Africa with yet another dominant display on home soil this summer at the Kia Oval. With Crawley and Lees resuming on 97-0, England required just 33 more runs heading into the final day to wrap up the series, which, despite the fall of Lees, were knocked out with minimal fuss to win convincingly by nine wickets.

South Africa storm the opener at Lord’s

When this series began at Lord’s in mid-August, many a pundit and commentator were of the opinion that the swashbuckling brand of cricket England had displayed in their 3-0 series win against New Zealand and their record breaking test win against India earlier on in the summer would not be sustainable. And, for a few days, after being put into bat first for the only time this summer, you might have been forgiven for agreeing with them. South Africa, winners by an innings and 12 runs had humbled England at “The Home of Cricket” in under three days.

Questions were once again being asked of a faltering batting line up struggling for runs with fingers pointed most notably at the opening pair of Crawley and Lees. Even Jonny Bairstow who had thus far been the darling of the English summer was wavering against a four-pronged pace attack consisting of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje and Marco Jansen.

Stokes’ best performance as captain at Emirates Old Trafford

However, despite the embarrassing reality check inflicted upon them at Lord’s, this England side helmed by Ben Stoke and Brendan McCullum refuse to know when they are beat. Under a week later we were back underway, this time, instead of at The Home of Cricket, they were at the home of Jimmy Anderson – Emirates Old Trafford. With humid, overcast skies above, Dean Elgar the Proteas skipper, surprised everyone by opting to bat first.

Jimmy Anderson, bowling from the Jimmy Anderson end was to make Elgar regret that decision, taking 6 wickets across the match, aided by a returning Ollie Robinson (5) and Stuart Broad (4) as England cruised to an innings and 85 run victory. It was a test match to remember for Ben Stokes as well as he hit his first century since becoming England captain, scoring 103 off 163 deliveries alongside fellow centurion Ben Foakes (113 off 217) as England recaptured some of the batting form shown earlier in the summer on their way to a declaration at 415/9.

The decider goes ahead and an inspired England win in 3 days

Momentum then was with England as they headed back to London to wrap up the series win at The Kia Oval, making it 6 wins out of 7 under the captaincy of Ben Stokes this summer – a feat not achieved since 2004. If the test cricket on show earlier on in the summer was about “Baz-ball”, a new brand of positive test match cricket where caution and doubt was cast aside in favour of an attack at all odds philosophy, the South Africa series showed England to have more nuance to their game.

The Batsmen were required to dig in at times, Zak Crawley’s 38 off 101 at Old Trafford might not have caught the headlines but was an important innings regardless in steadying the ship before Stokes, Bairstow and Foakes could capitalise. England’s seam attack also proved their worth to the team with control and skill on show in equal measure as they consistently squeezed the life out of South Africa’s batting line up before striking at key moments.

Overall, in being completely different to the New Zealand and India tests from June and July, this South Africa series provided the England team and supporters with the perfect end to a superb summer, showing they can win test matches in more than one way, when only 6 months ago, it didn’t look like they could win test matches at all.

2023 The Ashes

This new-look England side will face the toughest test of all in 2023 as they welcome the oldest of enemies, Australia, in The Ashes. Dates have yet to be confirmed by The ECB but matches will take place at the same venues as in 2019 – Edgbaston, Lord’s, Headingley, Old Trafford and The Kia Oval – we can’t wait!