Looking ahead to a summer of cricket

Cricket Thursday April 11, 2024 By: Harry Howes

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.

England's Test Cricket team play at Emirates Old Trafford

Cricket Hospitality

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.

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