England cricket team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
England

Nickname(s)	Three Lions
Association	England and Wales Cricket Board
Personnel
Test captain	Ben Stokes
One Day captain	Jos Buttler
T20I captain	Jos Buttler
Coach	Brendon McCullum
History
Test status acquired	1877
International Cricket Council
ICC status	Full Membership (1909)
ICC region	Europe
ICC Rankings Current Best-ever Test 4th 1st (1 June 1955) ODI 7th 1st (1 January 1981) T20I 3rd 1st (24 October 2011)
Tests
First Test	v.  Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne; 15–19 March 1877
Last Test	v.  Pakistan at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi; 24–26 October 2024
Tests Played Won/Lost Total 1,080 398/327 (355 draws) This year 14 7/7 (0 draws)
World Test Championship appearances	2 (first in 2021)
Best result	Fourth place (2021, 2023)
One Day Internationals
First ODI	v.  Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne; 5 January 1971
Last ODI	v.  West Indies at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown; 6 November 2024
ODIs Played Won/Lost Total 805 403/362 (9 ties, 31 no results) This year 8 3/5 (0 ties, 0 no results)
World Cup appearances	13 (first in 1975)
Best result	Champions (2019)
Twenty20 Internationals
First T20I	v.  Australia at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton; 13 June 2005
Last T20I	v.  West Indies at Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet; 17 November 2024
T20Is Played Won/Lost Total 199 104/85 (2 ties, 8 no results) This year 17 10/5 (0 ties, 2 no results)
T20 World Cup appearances	8 (first in 2007)
Best result	Champions (2010, 2022)
Test kit ODI kit T20I kit
As of 17 November 2024

The England men's cricket team plays for England and Wales in international cricket matches. Since 1997, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has managed the team. Before that, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) was in charge from 1903. England is one of the founding nations of the International Cricket Council (ICC). This means they can play all three main types of international cricket: Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).

England and Australia played the very first Test match in 1877. They also played the first ODI in 1971. England's first T20I was against Australia in 2005.

As of October 2024, England has played 1,080 Test matches, winning 398 and losing 327. They play for The Ashes trophy against Australia, which is one of the most famous prizes in sports. England has won The Ashes 32 times.

In ODIs, England has played 805 matches, winning 403. They reached the Cricket World Cup final four times and won their first World Cup in 2019. They were also runners-up twice in the ICC Champions Trophy.

For T20Is, England has played 199 matches, winning 104. They won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2010 and 2022. They were also runners-up in 2016.

As of September 2024, the ICC ranks England third in Tests, seventh in ODIs, and fourth in T20Is.

History of England Cricket

The idea of an "All-England" cricket team goes back to 1739. This team played against Kent, a county in England. These matches happened many times over the next century.

In 1846, a cricketer named William Clarke created the All-England Eleven. This team played against another team called the United All-England Eleven every year between 1847 and 1856. These games were very important because they featured the best players in England.

Early Cricket Tours

The first time an English team traveled overseas to play was in September 1859. They toured North America. This team included players from both the All-England Eleven and the United All-England Eleven. George Parr was their captain.

When the American Civil War started, cricket tours looked to other places. English teams visited Australia in 1861–62. Many early matches before 1877 were "against odds." This meant the opposing team had more than 11 players to make the game fairer. The first Australian tour mostly played against teams with at least 18 players against England's 11.

The first tour to Australia was so successful that George Parr led a second tour in 1863–64. Later, James Lillywhite led an England team that sailed to Australia in 1876. They played against a combined Australian team with 11 players on each side. This match, which began on March 15, 1877, in Melbourne, is now known as the very first Test match. Australia won this first Test by 45 runs. Charles Bannerman of Australia scored the first Test century.

England and Lillywhite's team played a second match, which they won. The first Test match played in England was in 1880, and England won that too. This was the first time England had a truly representative team, including the famous W. G. Grace.

The Ashes Begin (1880s)

In 1882, England lost a home series 1–0. After this loss, a newspaper called The Sporting Times printed a funny "death notice" for English cricket. It said that English cricket had "died" and that its "ashes" would be taken to Australia.

Because of this, the England captain, Ivo Bligh, called the next tour to Australia in 1882–83 "the quest to regain the ashes." England won the series 2–1. Bligh was given a small urn said to contain ashes. This is how the famous The Ashes trophy was created. England was very strong in these early years, winning The Ashes 10 times between 1884 and 1898. During this time, England also played their first Test match against South Africa in 1889.

Early 1900s Challenges

The early 1900s brought mixed results for England. They lost four of the eight Ashes series between 1900 and 1914. They also lost their first series against South Africa in 1905–06.

England lost to Australia in the 1901–02 Ashes and again in 1902. However, they won back The Ashes in 1904 under the captaincy of Pelham Warner. In 1905–06, England lost badly to South Africa. They got revenge in 1907, winning 1–0. But they lost the 1909 Ashes series to Australia.

Cricket Before World War I (1910s)

England toured Australia in 1911–12 and won the series 4–1. This team included famous players like Wilfred Rhodes, Jack Hobbs, and Sydney Barnes. This was the last Ashes series before World War I.

In 1912, England took part in a special tournament with South Africa and Australia. This "triangular tournament" had nine Test matches. However, it was affected by bad weather and player disagreements, so it was not very successful. England won four of their six matches. King George V watched a match between Australia and South Africa, which was the first time a king had seen a Test cricket game. England then went on one more tour before World War I, beating South Africa 4–0.

Post-War Struggles and Successes (1920s)

After World War I, England's first match was in 1920–21 against Australia. England lost all five matches in that series. Things didn't get much better in the next few Ashes series.

However, England's luck changed in 1926 when they won back The Ashes. They became a very strong team, beating Australia 4–1 in the 1928–29 Ashes tour.

In the same year, the West Indies became the fourth country to get Test status. They played their first game against England. England won all three of these Tests easily. In 1929–30, England sent two teams on tour at the same time: one to New Zealand and one to the West Indies. England won both tours.

The Bodyline Controversy (1930s)

The 1930 Ashes series was dominated by a young Australian player named Don Bradman. He scored an amazing 974 runs in just seven innings. Because of Bradman's incredible scoring, England's captain, Douglas Jardine, decided to use a new tactic called "Bodyline." This involved fast bowlers aiming the ball directly at the batsman's body. The idea was to make the batsman defend themselves, hoping they would hit the ball up in the air to a fielder.

Using Bodyline, England won the next Ashes series 4–1. But this tactic caused a lot of anger and arguments between the players and even led to diplomatic issues between England and Australia. The Australian Cricket Board sent a message to the MCC in London, saying Bodyline was "unsportsmanlike" and could "upset friendly relations."

After this, Jardine was removed as captain. Cricket rules were changed to limit how many fast balls could be aimed at the body per over.

England's tour of India in 1933–34 was the first Test match played in India. This series was also famous because some Indian batsmen wore special helmets to protect themselves from fast, bouncing balls.

Australia won the 1934 Ashes series and held the trophy for the next 19 years. Many cricket pitches at this time were very good for batsmen, leading to many high-scoring draws and new batting records.

England drew the 1938 Ashes series, so Australia kept the urn. In the final match, England won by a huge margin. Len Hutton scored 364 runs, the highest score ever by an Englishman in a Test match.

The 1938–39 tour of South Africa featured a "timeless Test" that was supposed to be played until a winner was decided. However, the game ended in a draw after 10 days because England had to leave to catch their boat home. A record 1,981 runs were scored. After this, the idea of timeless Tests was stopped. England went on one last tour to the West Indies in 1939 before World War II began.

Post-War Cricket and the 1950s

Test cricket started again after World War II in 1946. England won their first match against India. However, they struggled in the 1946–47 Ashes series, losing 3–0 in Australia. England then beat South Africa 3–0 in 1947.

The 1947–48 series against the West Indies was disappointing for England, as they lost 2–0. England faced more trouble against Don Bradman's strong Australian team in the 1948 Ashes series. England was bowled out for only 52 runs in one match. This series was Bradman's last Ashes.

In 1948–49, England beat South Africa 2–0. The decade ended with England drawing all their Test matches against New Zealand.

England's luck changed in the 1953 Ashes tour when they won the series 1–0. England did not lose a series between 1950–51 and 1958–59. They had a famous victory in Australia in 1954–55 under Len Hutton's captaincy. This was thanks to Frank Tyson, whose fast bowling was amazing. The 1956 series is remembered for Jim Laker, who took 46 wickets, including an incredible 19 wickets in one match.

In 1958–59, England toured Australia with what was thought to be their strongest team ever. But they lost the series 4–0 to a strong Australian side.

On August 24, 1959, England beat India 5–0, winning every match. England's batsmen Ken Barrington and Colin Cowdrey had excellent series.

Challenges and Unbeaten Runs (1960s)

The early and mid-1960s were tough for English cricket. Australia held The Ashes, and the West Indies often beat England. Ted Dexter became captain, but England continued to have mixed results. They drew the 1962–63 Ashes series 1–1, so Australia kept the urn.

However, from 1968 to 1971, England played 27 Test matches in a row without losing! They won 9 and drew 18. This amazing run started during the 1968 Ashes series and ended in 1971 when India won a Test match. During this time, under Ray Illingworth's leadership, England won back The Ashes from Australia in 1970–71.

The 1970s: Ups and Downs

The 1970s for England cricket had three main parts. Early in the decade, Illingworth's team was very strong. They won the Ashes away in 1971 and kept them at home in 1972. This team had many great players like Illingworth, Geoffrey Boycott, John Edrich, and John Snow.

The middle of the 1970s was more difficult. England was beaten 2–0 by a strong West Indies team. Mike Denness became captain but only lasted 18 months. England struggled against Australia in 1974–75, losing the Ashes 4–1.

Tony Greig replaced Denness in 1975. His team was beaten badly by the young West Indies team. Greig's best moment was probably winning against India in India in 1976–77. When Greig was found to be involved in a new cricket league (World Series Cricket), he was replaced by Mike Brearley.

Brearley's team, from 1977–80, had some young players who became England legends, like Ian Botham, David Gower, and Graham Gooch. They often played against teams that were weaker because their best players were in the World Series Cricket. England beat Australia's second team 5–1 in 1978–79.

A Difficult Decade (1980s)

The 1980s were a tough time for the England team. While some great players like Botham, Gooch, and Gower had amazing careers, the team often struggled against good opponents. They didn't win a home Test match (except against weaker teams like Sri Lanka) between 1985 and 1990.

Botham became captain in 1980. After struggling with his own form, he lost the captaincy and was replaced by Brearley. Botham then played incredibly well in the rest of the series against Australia. This series became known as "Botham's Ashes" because England won 3–1 thanks to his efforts.

Keith Fletcher and then Bob Willis took over as captains, but England continued to have mixed results. They reached the semi-finals of the 1983 World Cup. In 1984, Gower became captain and led the team to a 2–1 victory over India. They also won the 1985 Ashes 3–1.

In 1986, Micky Stewart became England's first full-time coach. Despite being called a team that "can't bat, can't bowl and can't field," England surprisingly won the 1986–87 Ashes series 2–1.

After losing to the West Indies, England lost The Ashes to a strong Australian team led by Allan Border. With some players banned for a rebel tour to South Africa, a new England team also lost to the West Indies.

Towards Professionalism (1990s)

The 1990s were only a small improvement for English Test cricket. When Gooch became captain in 1990, he pushed for more professionalism and fitness. England played well against India and New Zealand in 1990. They also had a strong performance in the 1992 Cricket World Cup, finishing as runners-up. However, losses against Australia in 1990–91 and Pakistan in 1992 showed that England's bowling was not strong enough.

Michael Atherton replaced Gooch as captain in 1993. England continued to do well at home against weaker teams but struggled against improving teams like Pakistan and South Africa. Atherton resigned after losing the 1997 Ashes series. During this time, England tried out many new players. There were two main problems:

• England needed a good all-rounder (a player who is good at both batting and bowling).
• Alec Stewart, a great wicket-keeper and batsman, couldn't open the batting and keep wicket at the same time.

Stewart became captain in 1998, but another Ashes loss and an early World Cup exit cost him his captaincy in 1999. In 1998, England showed great strength to beat a strong South African team 2–1.

Another issue was that county cricket teams put demands on their players, meaning England couldn't always have their best team. This led to the ECB taking over from the MCC as the main governing body. They introduced central contracts, which meant players were paid by the ECB and could focus on playing for England. In 1992, Scotland also separated from the England and Wales team to compete as the Scotland national team.

By 1999, England was ranked as the lowest Test nation after losing to New Zealand. Fans were very disappointed.

A New Era of Success (2000s)

With central contracts in place and a new coach, Duncan Fletcher, England started to improve. They beat the West Indies 3–1 in 2000. England's results in Asia also got better, with series wins against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The team, led by Nasser Hussain, became tougher. Key players like Hussain, Graham Thorpe, and Darren Gough were regularly selected.

By 2003, after another big Ashes loss and an early exit from the World Cup, Hussain resigned as captain. Michael Vaughan took over, encouraging players to play freely. England won five Test series in a row before facing Australia in the 2005 Ashes series. This took the team to second place in the world rankings. During this time, England beat the West Indies, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and South Africa.

In June 2005, England played its first ever T20 International match, beating Australia by 100 runs. Later that year, England defeated Australia 2–1 in an exciting series to win back The Ashes for the first time in 16 years.

After the 2005 Ashes win, many key players like Vaughan and Andrew Flintoff got injured. England lost 2–0 in Pakistan and drew series with India and Sri Lanka.

In 2006, new promising players like spin bowler Monty Panesar and opening batsman Alastair Cook emerged. The 2006–07 Ashes series was highly anticipated, but England lost all five Tests, a "whitewash" for the first time in 86 years.

In the 2007 Cricket World Cup, England struggled, losing to most of the strong teams. Coach Duncan Fletcher resigned and was replaced by Peter Moores.

In 2007–08, England toured Sri Lanka and New Zealand, losing one series and winning the other. In May 2008, they beat New Zealand 2–0 at home. Kevin Pietersen became captain in June 2008. However, there were problems between Pietersen and Moores. Both resigned their positions after a tour to India. Moores was replaced by Andy Flower. England then toured the West Indies under captain Andrew Strauss and lost the Test series 1–0.

The 2009 Ashes series included the first Test match played in Wales. England drew that match thanks to a last-wicket stand by bowlers James Anderson and Panesar. England won back The Ashes thanks to good bowling by Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann, and a century by Jonathan Trott.

World Champions (2010s)

After a drawn Test series in South Africa, England won their first ever ICC tournament, the 2010 World Twenty20, beating Australia in the final. The next winter, in the 2010–11 Ashes, they beat Australia 3–1 to keep the urn. This was their first series win in Australia in 24 years. All three of their wins were by an innings, which was a first for a touring team. Alastair Cook was named Man of the Series.

England struggled in the 2011 Cricket World Cup. They lost to Ireland and Bangladesh before losing in the quarter-finals. However, their Test form continued to be excellent. On August 13, 2011, they became the world's top-ranked Test team after beating India 4–0. This was their sixth series victory in a row. However, this top ranking only lasted a year.

Cook, who was already leading the ODI team, replaced Strauss as Test captain. He led England to a 2–1 victory in India, their first there since 1984–85. He also became the first captain to score centuries in his first five Tests.

After finishing as runners-up in the ICC Champions Trophy, England faced Australia in two Ashes series. A 3–0 home win secured The Ashes for England. However, in the return series in Australia, they suffered a crushing 5–0 defeat, their second Ashes whitewash in less than ten years. After this tour, coach Flower resigned, and Pietersen was dropped from the team. Flower was replaced by Peter Moores again, but he was sacked a second time after poor results, including failing to get past the group stage at the 2015 World Cup.

Australian Trevor Bayliss became the new coach. He helped the ODI team improve, with series wins against New Zealand and Pakistan. In Test cricket, England won back The Ashes 3–2 in 2015. However, the Test team's form slowly declined, despite the rise of key players Joe Root and Ben Stokes. After their first ever Test loss to Bangladesh, a 4–0 loss to India led to Cook resigning as captain in early 2017. Root took over, but the team continued to struggle away from home.

England entered the 2019 Cricket World Cup as favorites, being the number one ranked ODI team. Despite some surprising losses in the group stage, they won their final two games to reach the semi-finals. An eight-wicket victory over Australia in the semi-final meant England was in their first World Cup final since 1992. The final against New Zealand was incredibly dramatic. Both the match and a special tie-breaker (Super Over) ended in a tie. England won because they had scored more boundaries (fours and sixes) throughout the match. This secured their first ever World Cup title!

The 2019 Ashes series that summer was Bayliss's last as coach. It was a memorable series, with Ben Stokes playing an amazing innings in the third Test at Headingley. He scored an unbeaten 135 runs with only one wicket left, helping England win a seemingly impossible match. England eventually drew the series 2–2.

Recent Years (2020s)

Under new coach Chris Silverwood, England started the new decade well, beating South Africa 3–1 away from home in early 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic caused some disruptions, but England managed to play most of their planned matches.

After losing in the semi-finals of the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, the 2021–22 Ashes series started very badly for England. They suffered four heavy defeats, leading to Silverwood's resignation as coach. England then toured the West Indies, leaving out some experienced players. This decision didn't work out, and England lost the series. Root then resigned as captain.

2022 was a time of big changes for England cricket. Ben Stokes became the new Test captain, and Brendon McCullum became the Test coach. Their attacking style of play became known as "Bazball." They won 11 of their first 13 Tests, beating New Zealand, India, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ireland.

The white-ball (ODI and T20I) team also got a new coach, Matthew Mott. They set the highest total ever in one-day cricket, scoring 498 runs against the Netherlands. Jos Buttler took over as white-ball captain and led England to win the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. This made England the first team to hold both the 50-over and 20-over World Cup trophies at the same time! The following year, England drew the 2023 Ashes series but had a disappointing performance in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, getting knocked out in the group stage.

Recent Match Results

	Home			Away
	Test	One Day International	Twenty20 International	Test	One Day International	Twenty20 International
Last match won	2nd Test v Sri Lanka 2024	4th ODI v Australia 2024	2nd T20I v Australia 2024	1st Test v Pakistan 2024	2nd ODI v West Indies 2024	3rd T20I v West Indies 2024
Last match lost	3rd Test v Sri Lanka 2024	5th ODI v Australia 2024	1st T20I v Australia 2024	2nd Test v Pakistan 2024	3rd ODI v West Indies 2024	4th T20I v West Indies 2024
Last series won	Sri Lanka 2024	Ireland 2023	Pakistan 2024	Pakistan 2022–23	Bangladesh 2023	West Indies 2024
Last series lost	New Zealand 2021	Australia 2024	South Africa 2022	India 2023–24	West Indies 2024–25	2024 World Cup
–	Source: ESPNcricinfo.com. Last updated: 11 September 2024.	Source: ESPNcricinfo.com. Last updated: 29 September 2024.	Source: ESPNcricinfo.com. Last updated: 15 September 2024.	Source: ESPNcricinfo.com. Last updated: 18 October 2024.	Source: ESPNcricinfo.com. Last updated: 11 November 2024.	Source: ESPNcricinfo.com. Last updated: 18 November 2024.

Upcoming Cricket Matches

Here are England's international cricket matches planned until the Summer of 2025:

Winter 2024–25

• November–December 2024: New Zealand (away, 3 Tests)
• January–February 2025: India (away, 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is)
• February–March 2025: Champions Trophy (Pakistan, ODIs)

Summer 2025

• May 2025: Zimbabwe (home, 1 Test)
• June 2025: West Indies (home, 3 ODIs)
• June–August 2025: India (home, 5 Tests)
• June 2025: Ireland (away, 3 ODIs)
• September 2025: South Africa (home, 3 ODIs, 3 T20s)
• September 2025: West Indies (home, 3 T20Is)

Who Runs England Cricket?

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is the main group that manages English cricket and the England team. They started on January 1, 1997, and represent England in the International Cricket Council. The ECB also makes money from selling tickets, sponsorships, and TV rights for the England team. In 2006, the ECB earned £77 million.

Before 1997, the Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB) was in charge. When touring other countries, the England team used to officially play as MCC until 1976–77. The last time the England team wore the MCC's traditional colors was in 1996–97.

Wales and the England Team

Historically, the England team represented all of Great Britain. Players from Scotland and Wales sometimes played for England. Scotland became an independent member of the ICC in 1994.

Some people think the ECB should use the name "England and Wales" more often, especially since Welsh players play for the England team. There have been calls for Wales to become its own independent member of the ICC. However, both Cricket Wales and Glamorgan County Cricket Club support staying with the ECB. Glamorgan says it helps them financially.

The idea of a separate Welsh cricket team has been discussed in the Welsh Senedd (parliament). In 2013, politicians from different parties supported the idea of an independent Welsh team.

In 2015, a report showed strong feelings about this issue. Bethan Jenkins, a Welsh politician, argued that Wales should have its own international team. She pointed out that Ireland, with a smaller population, has its own ICC membership.

In 2017, the First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, called for the return of a Welsh one-day team. He said it was "odd" that Ireland and Scotland play in international tournaments but Wales does not.

Where England Plays: Cricket Grounds

Here are the main cricket grounds in England and Wales where international matches are played:

Venue	City	County team	Capacity	Years used	Test	ODI	T20I
Current venues
The Oval	London	Surrey	26,000	1880–	102	74	16
Old Trafford	Manchester	Lancashire	26,000	1884–	82	55	10
Lord's	London	Middlesex	28,000	1884–	140	67	10
Trent Bridge	Nottingham	Nottinghamshire	17,500	1899–	63	49	12
Headingley	Leeds	Yorkshire	17,500	1899–	78	45	1
Edgbaston	Birmingham	Warwickshire	25,000	1902–	53	64	5
Riverside Ground	Chester-le-Street	Durham	19,000	1999–	6	20	3
Sophia Gardens	Cardiff	Glamorgan	15,500	1999–	3	29	8
Rose Bowl	Southampton	Hampshire	25,000	2003–	7	31	9
County Ground	Taunton	Somerset	12,500	1983–	–	6	1
County Ground	Bristol	Gloucestershire	17,500	1983–	–	19	3
Former venues
Bramall Lane	Sheffield	Yorkshire	32,000	1902	1	–	—
St. Helen's	Swansea	Glamorgan	4,500	1973–1983	–	2	—
North Marine Road Ground	Scarborough	Yorkshire	11,500	1976–1978	–	2	—
Grace Road	Leicester	Leicestershire	12,000	1983–1999	–	3	—
New Road	Worcester	Worcestershire	5,500	1983–1999	–	3	—
County Ground	Southampton	Hampshire	7,000	1983–1999	–	3	—
County Ground	Derby	Derbyshire	9,500	1983–1999	–	2	—
Nevill Ground	Tunbridge Wells	Kent	6,000	1983	–	1	—
County Ground	Chelmsford	Essex	6,500	1983–1999	–	3	—
St Lawrence Ground	Canterbury	Kent	15,000	1999–2005	–	4	—
County Ground	Northampton	Northamptonshire	6,500	1999	–	2	—
As of 18 July 2021

England's Current Cricket Squad

This section lists the players who are currently part of the England team or have played for them in the last year. It also shows players (in italics) who were recently selected but don't quite fit the main criteria.

The ECB gives out contracts every October to players. These contracts cover both Test (red-ball) and limited-overs (white-ball) players. They consider how likely players are to play for England and how well they've performed. Since 2023, some players get multi-year contracts.

• Moeen Ali played in T20Is during this time but has stopped playing international cricket.
• James Anderson played in Tests during this time but has stopped playing international cricket.

Key

• No = Shirt number
• Con = Contract type (Central / Development)

Name	Age	Batting style	Bowling style	Domestic team	Con	Forms	S/N	Captaincy	Last Test	Last ODI	Last T20I
Batters
Jonny Bairstow	35	Right-handed	–	Yorkshire	C	Test, T20I	51		2024	2023	2024
Harry Brook	26	Right-handed	Right-arm medium	Yorkshire	C	Test, ODI, T20I	88	ODI (VC)	2024	2024	2024
Jordan Cox	24	Right-handed	–	Essex	–	ODI, T20I	93		–	2024	2024
Zak Crawley	27	Right-handed	–	Kent	C	Test, ODI	6		2024	2023	–
Ben Duckett	30	Left-handed	–	Nottinghamshire	C	Test, ODI, T20I	17		2024	2024	2023
Dan Lawrence	27	Right-handed	Right-arm off break	Surrey	–	Test	68		2024	–	–
Ollie Pope	27	Right-handed	–	Surrey	C	Test	80	Test (VC)	2024	–	–
Joe Root	34	Right-handed	Right-arm off break/leg spin	Yorkshire	C	Test	66		2024	2023	2019
All-rounders
Rehan Ahmed	20	Right-handed	Right-arm leg spin	Leicestershire	C	Test, ODI, T20I	53		2024	2023	2024
Jacob Bethell	21	Left-handed	Slow left-arm orthodox	Warwickshire	D	Test, ODI, T20I	82		–	2024	2024
Brydon Carse	29	Right-handed	Right-arm fast	Durham	C	Test, ODI, T20I	92		2024	2024	2024
Sam Curran	27	Left-handed	Left-arm medium-fast	Surrey	C	ODI, T20I	58		2021	2024	2024
Will Jacks	26	Right-handed	Right-arm off break	Surrey	C	ODI, T20I	85		2022	2024	2024
Liam Livingstone	31	Right-handed	Right-arm leg spin/off break	Lancashire	C	ODI, T20I	23		2022	2024	2024
Dan Mousley	23	Left-handed	Right-arm off break	Warwickshire	–	ODI, T20I	96		–	2024	2024
Jamie Overton	31	Right-handed	Right-arm fast	Surrey	–	ODI, T20I	75		2022	2024	2024
Ben Stokes	34	Left-handed	Right-arm fast-medium	Durham	C	Test	55	Test (C)	2024	2023	2022
Chris Woakes	36	Right-handed	Right-arm fast-medium	Warwickshire	C	Test, T20I	19		2024	2023	2023
Wicket-keepers
Jos Buttler	34	Right-handed	–	Lancashire	C	ODI, T20I	63	ODI, T20I (C)	2022	2023	2024
Ben Foakes	32	Right-handed	–	Surrey	–	Test	50		2024	2019	2019
Phil Salt	28	Right-handed	–	Lancashire	C	ODI, T20I	61	T20I (VC)	–	2024	2024
Jamie Smith	24	Right-handed	–	Surrey	C	Test, ODI	39		2024	2024	–
Pace bowlers
Jofra Archer	30	Right-handed	Right-arm fast	Sussex	C	ODI, T20I	22		2021	2024	2024
Gus Atkinson	27	Right-handed	Right-arm fast-medium	Surrey	C	Test, ODI, T20I	37		2024	2023	2023
Josh Hull	20	Left-handed	Left-arm fast-medium	Leicestershire	D	Test	47		2024	–	–
Chris Jordan	36	Right-handed	Right-arm fast-medium	Surrey	–	T20I	34		2015	2022	2024
Saqib Mahmood	28	Right-handed	Right-arm fast-medium	Lancashire	–	ODI, T20I	25		2022	2024	2024
Tymal Mills	32	Right-handed	Left-arm fast	Sussex	–	T20I	72		–	–	2023
Matthew Potts	26	Right-handed	Right-arm fast-medium	Durham	C	Test, ODI	35		2024	2024	–
Ollie Robinson	31	Right-handed	Right-arm medium-fast	Sussex	–	Test	57		2024	–	–
Olly Stone	31	Right-handed	Right-arm fast	Nottinghamshire	C	Test, ODI	26		2024	2024	2022
Josh Tongue	27	Right-handed	Right-arm fast-medium	Nottinghamshire	C	–	56		2023	–	–
Reece Topley	31	Right-handed	Left-arm fast-medium	Surrey	C	ODI, T20I	38		–	2024	2024
John Turner	24	Right-handed	Right-arm fast-medium	Hampshire	D	ODI, T20I	41		–	2024	2024
Mark Wood	35	Right-handed	Right-arm fast	Durham	C	Test, T20I	33		2024	2023	2024
Spin bowlers
Shoaib Bashir	21	Right-handed	Right-arm off break	Somerset	C	Test	67		2024	–	–
Tom Hartley	26	Left-handed	Slow left-arm orthodox	Lancashire	–	Test	79		2024	2023	–
Jack Leach	33	Left-handed	Slow left-arm orthodox	Somerset	C	Test	77		2024	–	–
Adil Rashid	37	Right-handed	Right-arm leg spin	Yorkshire	C	ODI, T20I	95		2019	2024	2024

England's Coaching Staff

Position	Name
Head coach - Test	Brendon McCullum
Interim head coach - Limited-Over formats (ODIs and T20Is)	Marcus Trescothick
Assistant coach	Paul Collingwood
Batting coach	Marcus Trescothick
Fast-bowling consultant	James Anderson
Spin bowling coach	Jeetan Patel
Lions coach	Andrew Flintoff
Pace-bowling coach	Neil Killeen

Team Uniforms and Sponsors

When playing Test cricket, England's white uniforms have the three lions badge on the left side of the shirt. The sponsor's name, Cinch, is in the middle. English fielders can wear a navy blue cap or a white sun hat with the ECB logo. Helmets are also navy blue. Before 1997, the uniform had a different lion and stumps logo. In April 2017, the ECB brought back the traditional knitted sweater for Test matches.

For One Day Internationals, the kit is a blue shirt with navy trousers. The Twenty20 kit is a bright red shirt and navy trousers. In ICC tournaments, "ENGLAND" is printed across the front. Over the years, England's ODI kit has changed between different shades of blue, and sometimes an all-red kit.

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
1994–1996		Tetley Bitter
1996–1998	ASICS
1998–2000		Vodafone
2000–2008	Admiral
2008–2010	Adidas
2010–2014		Brit Insurance
2014–2017		Waitrose
2017–2021	New Balance	NatWest
2021–2022		Cinch
2022–present	Castore

In limited-overs cricket, England's ODI and Twenty20 shirts feature the Cinch logo. In ICC tournaments, the sponsor's logo is on the sleeve. The three lions badge is on the left, and the Castore logo is on the right. Cinch, an online used car marketplace, became England's main sponsor in February 2021. Castore replaced New Balance as the kit maker in April 2022.

England Cricket Fans: The Barmy Army

The Barmy Army is a group that helps England cricket fans travel to matches in the UK and overseas. It started as an informal group but later became a company.

The name "Barmy Army" also refers to all the fans who join in with the cheering and singing at matches. The word "barmy" means "slightly crazy or very foolish."

Australian media gave the group its name during the 1994–95 Test series in Australia. They called the fans "barmy" because they traveled all the way to Australia, knowing their team would likely lose, but still kept cheering for England.

Tournament History

Key

	Champions
	Runners-up
	Third place
	Fourth place

      Indicates tournaments played within England

ICC World Test Championship Results

ICC World Test Championship record
Year	League stage										Final host	Final	Final position
	Pos	Matches					Ded	PC	Pts	PCT
		P	W	L	D	T
2019–21	4/9	21	11	7	3	0	0	720	442	61.4	Rose Bowl, England	DNQ	League Stage
2021–23	4/9	22	10	8	4	0	12	264	124	47	The Oval, England	DNQ	League Stage

ICC Cricket World Cup Results

World Cup record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR	Win %
1975	Semi-final	3/8	4	3	1	0	0	75.00
1979	Runners-up	2/8	5	4	1	0	0	80.00
1983	Semi-final	3/8	7	5	2	0	0	71.43
1987	Runners-up	2/8	8	5	3	0	0	62.50
1992		2/9	10	6	3	0	1	66.67
1996	Quarter-final	8/12	6	2	4	0	0	33.33
1999	Group Stage		5	3	2	0	0	60.00
2003	Group Stage	9/14	6	3	3	0	0	50.00
2007	Super 8	5/16	9	5	4	0	0	55.55
2011	Quarter-final	7/14	7	3	3	1	0	50.00
2015	Group Stage	10/14	6	2	4	0	0	33.33
2019	Champions	1/10	11	8	3	0	0	68.18
2023	Group Stage	7/10	9	3	6	0	0	33.33
2027	TBD
2031
Total	1 title	13/13	93	52	39	1	1	56.45

*Win percentage does not include matches with no result and counts ties as half a win.

ICC T20 World Cup Results

T20 World Cup record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR	Win %
2007	Super 8	7/12	5	1	4	0	0	20.00
2009		6/12	5	2	3	0	0	40.00
2010	Champions	1/12	7	5	1	0	1	83.33
2012	Super 8	6/12	5	2	3	0	0	40.00
2014	Super 10	7/16	4	1	3	0	0	25.00
2016	Runners-up	2/16	6	4	2	0	0	66.67
2021	Semi-final	4/16	6	4	2	0	0	66.67
2022	Champions	1/16	7	5	1	0	1	83.33
2024	Semi-final	4/20	8	4	3	0	1	57.14
2026	Qualifed
2028	TBD
2030	Qualified as co-hosts
Total	2 titles	9/9	56	30	23	0	3	53.57

*Win percentage does not include matches with no result and counts ties as half a win.

ICC Champions Trophy Results

Champions Trophy record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR	Win %
1998	Quarter-final	5/9	1	0	1	0	0	0.00
2000		7/11	1	0	1	0	0	0.00
2002	Pool stage	6/12	2	1	1	0	0	50.00
2004	Runners-up	2/12	4	3	1	0	0	75.00
2006	Pool stage	7/10	3	1	2	0	0	33.33
2009	Semi-final	4/8	4	2	2	0	0	50.00
2013	Runners-up	2/8	5	3	2	0	0	60.00
2017	Semi-final	3/8	4	3	1	0	0	75.00
2025	Qualified
Total	0 titles	8/8	24	13	11	0	0	54.17

*Win percentage does not include matches with no result and counts ties as half a win.

Summer Olympics Cricket

Summer Olympics record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR	Win %
1900	Champions	1/2	1	1	0	0	0	100.00
Total	1 title	1/1	1	1	0	0	0	100.00

*The Summer Olympics Gold medal was won as Great Britain.

*Win percentage does not include matches with no result and counts ties as half a win.

England's Cricket Achievements

ICC Trophies

• Cricket World Cup:
  • Champions (1): 2019
  • Runners-up (3): 1979, 1987, 1992
• T20 World Cup:
  • Champions (2): 2010, 2022
  • Runners-up (1): 2016
• Champions Trophy:
  • Runners-up (2): 2004, 2013

England Cricket Records

Test Match Records

Test Records Against Other Nations

Opponent	M	W	L	T	D	% Win	First win
Australia	361	112	152	0	97	31.02	4 April 1877
South Africa	156	66	35	0	55	42.31	13 March 1889
West Indies	164	52	59	0	53	31.70	26 June 1928
New Zealand	112	52	13	0	46	46.43	13 January 1930
India	136	51	35	0	50	37.50	28 June 1932
Pakistan	92	30	23	0	39	32.60	5 July 1954
Sri Lanka	39	19	9	0	11	48.71	21 February 1982
Zimbabwe	6	3	0	0	3	50.00	21 May 2000
Ireland	2	2	0	0	0	100.00	26 July 2019
Bangladesh	10	9	1	0	0	90.00	25 October 2003
Afghanistan	Yet to play
Records complete to Test #2558. Last updated: 27 October 2024.

Team Records in Tests

• Highest team score: 903–7 declared against Australia at The Oval in 1938.
• Lowest team score: 45 against Australia at Sydney in 1886/87.
• England is the only team to have won 100 Test matches by an innings (meaning they won without batting a second time).

Individual Records in Tests

• Most matches played: 188 Tests – James Anderson.
• Longest-serving captain: 64 Tests – Joe Root.

Batting Records in Tests

• Most runs scored: 12,754 – Joe Root.
• Best batting average: 60.73 – Herbert Sutcliffe.
• Highest score in one innings: 364 – Len Hutton against Australia at The Oval in 1938.
• Highest partnership (two batsmen): 454 – Joe Root and Harry Brook against Pakistan in 2024.
• Most centuries (scores of 100 or more): 35 – Joe Root.
• Most double centuries (scores of 200 or more): 7 – Wally Hammond.
• England's best opening partnership was Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe. They averaged 87.81 runs for the first wicket.
• Most "ducks" (scoring zero runs): 39 – Stuart Broad.

Bowling Records in Tests

• Most wickets taken: 704 – James Anderson.
• Best bowling average: 10.75 – George Lohmann.
• Best bowling in one innings: 10 wickets for 53 runs – Jim Laker against Australia in 1956.
• Best bowling in a match: 19 wickets for 90 runs – Jim Laker against Australia in 1956.
• Best strike rate (fewest balls per wicket): 34.1 – George Lohmann.
• Best economy rate (fewest runs given per over): 1.31 – William Attewell.
• Five England bowlers have taken four wickets in one over!

Fielding Records in Tests

• Most catches by a fielder (not wicketkeeper): 205 – Joe Root.
• Most dismissals by a wicketkeeper: 269 – Alan Knott.
• Most dismissals in one innings (wicketkeeper): 7 – Bob Taylor against India in 1979/80.
• Most dismissals in a match (wicketkeeper): 11 – Jack Russell against South Africa in 1995/96.

One Day International (ODI) Records

ODI Records Against Other Nations

Opponent	M	W	L	T	NR	% Win	First win
v. Test nations
Afghanistan	3	2	1	0	0	66.67	13 March 2015
Australia	157	63	89	2	3	40.13	24 August 1972
Bangladesh	25	20	5	0	0	80.00	5 October 2000
India	107	44	58	2	3	41.12	13 July 1974
Ireland	15	11	2	0	2	73.33	13 June 2006
New Zealand	96	44	45	3	4	45.83	18 July 1973
Pakistan	92	57	32	0	3	61.96	23 December 1977
South Africa	70	30	34	1	5	42.86	12 March 1992
Sri Lanka	79	38	37	1	3	48.10	13 February 1982
West Indies	108	54	48	0	6	50.00	5 September 1973
Zimbabwe	30	21	8	0	1	72.41	7 January 1995
v. Associate Members
Canada	2	2	0	0	0	100.00	13 June 1979
East Africa	1	1	0	0	0	100.00	14 June 1975
Kenya	2	2	0	0	0	100.00	18 May 1999
Namibia	1	1	0	0	0	100.00	19 February 2003
Netherlands	7	7	0	0	0	100.00	22 February 1996
Scotland	5	3	1	0	1	75.00	19 June 2010
United Arab Emirates	1	1	0	0	0	100.00	18 February 1996
Last updated 6 November 2024. Win percentages exclude no-results and count ties as half a win.

Team Records in ODIs

• Highest team score: 498/4 (in 50 overs) against Netherlands in 2022.
• Lowest team score: 86 (in 32.4 overs) against Australia in 2001.

Individual Records in ODIs

• Most matches played: 225 – Eoin Morgan.
• Longest-serving captain: 126 matches – Eoin Morgan.

Batting Records in ODIs

• Most runs scored: 6,957 – Eoin Morgan.
• Best batting average: 55.76 – Dawid Malan.
• Best strike rate (how fast runs are scored): 117.11 – Jos Buttler.
• Highest score in one innings: 182 – Ben Stokes against New Zealand in 2023.
• Highest partnership: 256* (not out) – Alex Hales and Jason Roy against Sri Lanka in 2016.
• Most centuries: 16 – Joe Root.
• Most "ducks": 15 – Eoin Morgan.

Bowling Records in ODIs

• Most wickets taken: 269 – James Anderson.
• Best bowling average: 26.61 – Andrew Flintoff.
• Best bowling in one match: 6 wickets for 31 runs – Paul Collingwood against Bangladesh in 2005.
• Best strike rate: 30.6 – Liam Plunkett.
• Best economy rate: 3.28 – Bob Willis.

Fielding Records in ODIs

• Most catches by a fielder (not wicketkeeper): 108 – Paul Collingwood.
• Most dismissals by a wicketkeeper: 258 – Jos Buttler.
• Most dismissals in one match (wicketkeeper): 6 – Alec Stewart in 2000; Matt Prior in 2008; Jos Buttler in 2013.

T20 International (T20I) Records

(Figures include games up to November 17, 2024.)

T20I Records Against Other Nations

Opponent	Span	M	W	L	T+W	T+L	NR	% Win	First win
v. Test nations
Afghanistan	2012-2022	3	3	0	0	0	0	100.00	21 September 2012
Australia	2005-2024	26	12	12	0	0	2	46.15	13 June 2005
Bangladesh	2021-2023	4	1	3	0	0	0	25.00	27 October 2021
India	2007-2024	24	11	13	0	0	0	45.83	14 June 2009
Ireland	2010-2022	2	0	1	0	0	1	0.00	–
New Zealand	2007-2023	27	15	10	1	0	1	57.41	5 February 2008
Pakistan	2006-2024	31	20	9	1	0	1	64.51	7 June 2009
South Africa	2007-2024	26	12	13	0	0	1	46.15	13 November 2009
Sri Lanka	2006-2022	14	10	4	0	0	0	71.43	13 May 2010
West Indies	2007-2024	35	16	18	0	0	1	45.71	29 June 2007
Zimbabwe	2007-2007	1	1	0	0	0	0	100.00	13 September 2007
v. Associate Members
Namibia	2024-2024	1	1	0	0	0	0	100.00	15 June 2024
Netherlands	2009-2014	2	0	2	0	0	0	0.00	–
Oman	2024-2024	1	1	0	0	0	0	100.00	13 June 2024
Scotland	2024-2024	1	0	0	0	0	1	0.00	–
United States	2024-2024	1	1	0	0	0	0	100.00	23 June 2024
Records complete to T20I #2958, 17 November 2024. T+W and T+L mean matches tied and then won or lost in a tiebreaker (like a Super Over). Win percentages do not include no-results and count ties as half a win.

Team Records in T20Is

• Highest team score: 241/3 against New Zealand in 2019.
• Lowest team score: 80 against India in 2012.

Individual Records in T20Is

• Most matches played: 129 – Jos Buttler.
• Longest-serving captain: 72 matches – Eoin Morgan.

Batting Records in T20Is

• Most runs scored: 3,389 – Jos Buttler.
• Best batting average: 37.93 – Kevin Pietersen.
• Best strike rate: 165.3 – Phil Salt.
• Highest score in one innings: 119 – Phil Salt against West Indies in 2023.
• Highest partnership: 182 – Dawid Malan and Eoin Morgan against New Zealand in 2019.
• Most centuries: 3 – Phil Salt.
• Most "ducks": 9 – Luke Wright and Moeen Ali.

Bowling Records in T20Is

• Most wickets taken: 126 – Adil Rashid.
• Best bowling average: 16.84 – Graeme Swann.
• Best bowling in one match: 5 wickets for 10 runs – Sam Curran against Afghanistan in 2022.
• Best strike rate: 13.98 – Mark Wood.
• Best economy rate: 6.36 – Graeme Swann.

Fielding Records in T20Is

• Most catches by a fielder (not wicketkeeper): 46 – Eoin Morgan.
• Most dismissals by a wicketkeeper: 81 – Jos Buttler.
• Most dismissals in one innings (wicketkeeper): 4 – Matt Prior against South Africa in 2007.

Most England Appearances

These lists show the top five players with the most appearances for England in each type of game. The lists are correct up to November 17, 2024.

• † = players who can still be chosen and have played for England in that format in the last 12 months.

Most Test caps 188 James Anderson 167 Stuart Broad 161 Alastair Cook 149 Joe Root † 133 Alec Stewart

Most ODI caps 225 Eoin Morgan 197 Paul Collingwood 194 James Anderson 181 Jos Buttler † 171 Joe Root

Most T20I caps 129 Jos Buttler † 119 Adil Rashid † 115 Eoin Morgan 95 Chris Jordan † 92 Moeen Ali

England Men's Cricketer of the Year

At the start of each cricket season, the ECB gives out the England Men's Cricketer of the Year award. This award celebrates the best performances in all types of international cricket over the past year. Cricket journalists vote for the winner.

Past winners include:

• 2006/07: Andrew Flintoff
• 2007/08: Ian Bell
• 2008/09: Kevin Pietersen
• 2009/10: Graeme Swann
• 2010/11: Jonathan Trott
• 2011/12: James Anderson
• 2012/13: Matt Prior
• 2013/14: Ian Bell
• 2014/15: Joe Root
• 2015/16: Joe Root

Who Can Play for England?

The England cricket team represents both England and Wales. However, under ICC rules, players can qualify to play for a country based on their nationality, where they were born, or where they live. This means some players can choose to play for more than one team.

The ECB rules state that to play for England, a player must be a British citizen. They must also have been born in England or Wales, or have lived there for three years. This rule has allowed players with other nationalities to play for England.

For example, Jason Roy was born in South Africa to British parents and qualified by living in England. Chris Jordan and Ben Stokes are British citizens who have lived in England since they were young. Jofra Archer was born in Barbados but qualifies through his English father. Brydon Carse was born in South Africa and qualified after living in England.

ICC rules also allow cricketers from "associate" (non-Test-playing) nations to switch to a Test-playing nation if they meet nationality requirements. This is how Irish players like Ed Joyce, Boyd Rankin, and Eoin Morgan came to play for England before Ireland became a full ICC member.

Images for kids

• 

  The first England team to tour southern Australia in 1861–62