After a gruelling 4-1 Test series defeat in India, England’s cricketers turn their attention to the defence of their T20 World Cup crown in June. We take a look at the England Cricket Schedule 2024 with Ben Stokes’ men busy in both red and white ball cricket this summer.
The Windies Are Coming
They will warm up for the tournament, which is taking place in the West Indies and the USA, with a four-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan, starting at Headingley on May 22. England beat Pakistan by five wickets in the 2022 T20 World Cup final in Melbourne and they are aiming for a more successful title defence than they managed at last year’s 50-over World Cup in India, where they suffered a shock group-stage exit.
West Indies aiming for another upset after brilliant Brisbane win. England’s Test players return to action on July 10, when the first match of their three-Test series against the West Indies starts at Lord’s. England will be hot favourites to defeat the Windies at the Home of Cricket but Kraigg Brathwaite’s men upset the odds in their most recent Test match, claiming a stunning eight-run victory over Australia in Brisbane.
Fast bowler Shamar Joseph was the hero at the Gabba, taking 7-68 despite a toe injury to help a hugely inexperienced West Indies side claim a 1-1 series draw down under. It will be interesting to see how England’s top order lines up at Lord’s. Jonny Bairstow and captain Ben Stokes struggled for runs in India and Ollie Pope’s form fell away sharply after his matchwinning 196 in the first Test in Hyderabad. Harry Brook missed the India series for personal reasons but averages 62 after 12 Tests so should come back into the side,with wicketkeeper Ben Foakes the likeliest man to drop out.
Sri Lanka Struggles
The second Test series of the 2024 English summer sees Sri Lanka arrive for a three-match contest in late August and early September. James Anderson became the first fast bowler to reach 700 Test wickets in the final game of the India series but he will be 42 by the time the first Test against Sri Lanka takes place at his home ground, Old Trafford.
Stuart Broad retired after last summer’s Ashes series and Ollie Robinson has struggled after a bright start to his Test career so there will be opportunities for other pace bowlers this summer. Chris Woakes has a Test bowling average of 21.88 at home so should be involved along with Mark Wood while Gus Atkinson, Matt Potts and Josh Tongue are among the bowlers hoping to gain more international experience.
Aussie Arrivals
Spinner Jack Leach played only one of England’s 10 Tests against Australia and India due to injury but, when fit, he remains first choice ahead of Shoaib Bashir and Tom Hartley. Sri Lanka have won only three of their 18 Test matches in England and they were beaten 2-0 by New Zealand in their last away series in March 2023.
White-ball series against Aussies provide grand finale to 2024 summer. The English summer ends with three T20 internationals and five ODIs against the old enemy, Australia, in September. The Aussies triumphed at last year’s 50-over World Cup, when they upset tournament hosts India in the final in Ahmedabad, although both teams are likely to rest senior players for the September series. England’s Phil Salt looks primed to nail down an opening role in the T20 and ODI teams and Australia have an exciting crop of white-ball fast bowlers including Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett.
Twenty20 series v Pakistan
May 22: Headingley, Leeds
May 25: Edgbaston, Birmingham
May 28: Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
May 30: The Oval, London
Test series v West Indies
July 10-14: Lord’s, London
July 18-22: Trent Bridge, Nottingham
July 26-30: Edgbaston, Birmingham
Test series v Sri Lanka
August 21-25: Old Trafford, Manchester
August 29-September 2: Lord’s, London
September 6-10: The Oval, London
T20 series v Australia
September 11: Rose Bowl, Southampton
September 13: Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
September 15: Old Trafford, Manchester
ODI series v Australia
September 19: Trent Bridge, Nottingham
September 21: Headingley, Leeds
September 24: Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
September 27: Lord’s, London
September 29: County Ground, Bristol
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