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No Shortage of Context – Looking Ahead to the English International Summer

BoomBoomCricket

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The 2020 English international summer sees West Indies and Pakistan visiting for three Test Matches each whereas Australia and Ireland will be visiting for three ODIs each. There will also be three Twenty20 internationals against Australia and Pakistan. Therefore, a total of 18 international fixtures will be contested across six series against four different opponents. There is plenty to look forward to.

Some may feel that the 2020 English international summer is somewhat of an anti-climax after an unforgettable 2019 English summer which saw a home World Cup and Ashes series played and produce compelling drama. However, below are reasons why this upcoming summer is also highly important for English cricket and carries great interest and relevance for players, officials and spectators alike.

For example, the Test Matches against West Indies and Pakistan contribute towards the inaugural ICC World Test Championship points table. Each Test Match will have 40 points available to be gained for a Test victory given the length of the series being three Tests long. England will be keen to make an appearance in the final of a new marquee ICC Event at home the following summer with the World Test Championship final scheduled for early June 2021 at Lord’s. Likewise the tourists would dearly love to return to play a one off Test final the next year in what would be a first for the longer form of the game. There are points to score and each Test Match matters. Test victories are now more invaluable more than ever before. This will be the first full English summer with the World Test Championship in full operation and the race to the final is heating up.

Additionally, the ICC ODI Super League also commences in May. This is a 23 month league involving the Twelve Test nations in addition to the Netherlands. Each country will play a series of 3 ODIs against eight different countries of which four series are at home. At the end of it, the top 7 teams along with hosts India gain automatic entry to the 2023 World Cup. England will play two of their four home series in the ODI league this summer before a further two series next year. Morgan’s troops play ODI cricket on home soil for the first time since that memorable day at Lord’s in mid-July. For the first and only time in their history up to now, England will play a home ODI series as world champions when the Australians turn up at the headquarters for a day night encounter on Saturday 11th July.

On the other hand, the six T20 internationals build up fittingly to the T20 World Cup in Australia in the English autumn. These are the last games England have to finalise their combinations before they enter the Super 12s of the global tournament in the antipodes. England have won their last 5 bilateral T20I assignments and they’ll be determined to maintain their winning formula running into a major world competition when they host Australia and Pakistan in a three game series.

With so much riding on each international game and series with new premierships introduced in Test and ODI cricket in an effort to give bilateral series greater consequences with regards to winning and losing games, has there ever been more context in an English international summer?

The quality of opponents isn’t to be underestimated either. Pakistan have won four of their last 8 Tests on English shores and haven’t been defeated in a Test series by England in their previous four series against them. And in the shortest format they are currently the top ranked nation according to the ICC rankings.

West Indies on the other hand have won their last Test series against England early last year and would’ve taken a great deal of confidence from their unlikely Test victory at Leeds on their previous visit to these shores in 2017.

Australia meanwhile in their white ball trip to England will be looking to build some winning momentum heading into a T20 World Cup at home, a tournament they are yet to win and which no host nation has won up to now in the previous six editions of the world tournament.

Lastly Ireland would be hurting from missing out in the 2019 World Cup and would do everything in their power to gain direct entry for the 2023 World Cup and try to experience days such as Bangalore 2011 when they try to return to India in 2023. An ODI win in the three game ODI series at the end of the summer will do their chances no harm whatsoever in the early stages of the newly formed ICC ODI Super League. Can Ireland beat England in their backyard for a first time?

Alternatively, in women’s cricket, India and South Africa will be in town. India as World Cup finalists from 2017 and South Africa as semi finalists from the same competition in 2017 should provide stiff competition and a useful gauge of where England are as an ODI side heading into the 2021 Women’s World Cup over the course of the English winter where they’ll be looking to successfully defend their title.

Overall there is plenty of action and a variety of opponents to enjoy. While the main talking point of the summer might be the introduction of city based 100 ball cricket, the international contests will still provide plenty of meaningful cricket even with the absence of a marquee event such as the World Cup or an Ashes series. It is far from an anticlimax after a blockbuster 2019 season. And it all gets underway on the 4th of June in South London where West Indies will make a Test appearance at the iconic Kennington Oval for the first time since 2004.
 
England should win every single Test in the summer. Anything short of that would be a complete failure.

West Indies and Pakistan at home. Two terribly ordinary teams. It doesn’t get easier than that.
 
England should win every single Test in the summer. Anything short of that would be a complete failure.

West Indies and Pakistan at home. Two terribly ordinary teams. It doesn’t get easier than that.

West Indies with Roach, Gabriel, Holder, Joseph and Thomas is a better red ball attack than ours which whilst promising, people are going gaga over despite having beaten up terribly substandard opponents in SL and Bangladesh at home. Seems like folks have already forgotten the mother of all beatdowns in Australia.
 
England should win every single Test in the summer. Anything short of that would be a complete failure.

West Indies and Pakistan at home. Two terribly ordinary teams. It doesn’t get easier than that.

Pakistan’s Last 8 Test Results in England.


Leeds Test 2018 = Lost.
Lord’s Test 2018 = Won.
Oval Test 2016 = Won.
Edgbaston Test 2016 = Lost.
Old Trafford Test 2016 = Lost.
Lord’s Test 2016 = Won.
Lord’s Test 2010 = Lost.
Oval Test 2010 = Won.

Mickey Arthur as Pakistan Coach in London

Won the Lord’s Test vs England 2016 on 14th-17th July 2016.
Won the Oval Test vs England 2016 on 11th-14th August 2016.
Lost the Lord’s ODI vs England 2016 on 27th August 2016.
Won Champions Trophy final 2017 vs India at the Oval on 18th June 2017.
Won the Lord’s Test vs England 2018 on 24th-27th May 2018.
No result vs England in Oval ODI 2019 on 8th May 2019.
Won vs South Africa in the World Cup at Lord’s on 23rd June 2019.
Won vs Bangladesh in the World Cup at Lord’s on 5th July 2019.
 
people are going gaga over despite having beaten up terribly substandard opponents in SL and Bangladesh at home. Seems like folks have already forgotten the mother of all beatdowns in Australia.

Back to back Test wins.
4th in the Test Championship table.
Not just the wins but the margins.
First series at home in 10 years, not easy for the players.
Pak started the SL series ranked 8th in the world and under pressure.
SL batting is a serious line up - Chandimal, Mathews, Karunaratne, Dickwella. Not easy to take 20 wickets against that lot. They had a nice varied bowling attack with a right arm quick, left arm seam, left arm spin and right arm off spin. They beat SA away in the same year. Watch out how they do against England next month at home.

SL had won 4 of their last 7 series against Pakistan coming into the series.
Bangladesh, since we've last played them have won Tests vs Aus, Eng and a series vs WI. Much more confident Test outfit now than they ever have been.

Azhar Ali's team have been phenomenal after the Australia tour. Impressive dominance on home shores. Welcomed Test Cricket back with a bang.
 

Pakistan’s Last 8 Test Results in England.


Leeds Test 2018 = Lost.
Lord’s Test 2018 = Won.
Oval Test 2016 = Won.
Edgbaston Test 2016 = Lost.
Old Trafford Test 2016 = Lost.
Lord’s Test 2016 = Won.
Lord’s Test 2010 = Lost.
Oval Test 2010 = Won.

Mickey Arthur as Pakistan Coach in London

Won the Lord’s Test vs England 2016 on 14th-17th July 2016.
Won the Oval Test vs England 2016 on 11th-14th August 2016.
Lost the Lord’s ODI vs England 2016 on 27th August 2016.
Won Champions Trophy final 2017 vs India at the Oval on 18th June 2017.
Won the Lord’s Test vs England 2018 on 24th-27th May 2018.
No result vs England in Oval ODI 2019 on 8th May 2019.
Won vs South Africa in the World Cup at Lord’s on 23rd June 2019.
Won vs Bangladesh in the World Cup at Lord’s on 5th July 2019.

Not relevant. A lot has changed between now and 2016. Our days of being England’s bogey team are over.

I know we drew 1-1 in 2018, but quite frankly we were lucky to only play 2 Tests. It was a three match series we would have definitely lost.
 
West Indies with Roach, Gabriel, Holder, Joseph and Thomas is a better red ball attack than ours which whilst promising, people are going gaga over despite having beaten up terribly substandard opponents in SL and Bangladesh at home. Seems like folks have already forgotten the mother of all beatdowns in Australia.

People are looking too much into our impressive past record in England. I am afraid they are in for a rude awakening, or what I like to call a reality check.
 
I know we drew 1-1 in 2018, but quite frankly we were lucky to only play 2 Tests

Big achievement to beat England in a Test match in MAY.

Don't recall any other team doing that since I've started watching cricket since 2003.

To win an early season Test is unheard of.
 
Big achievement to beat England in a Test match in MAY.

Don't recall any other team doing that since I've started watching cricket since 2003.

To win an early season Test is unheard of.

We can only win at Lord’s and Oval only. We have lost every non-London Test since winning at Old Trafford in 2001.
 
Test series and us and WI should be competitive. Windies have a fantastic pace trio, as do we.

Very nice to see Ireland visiting as well.
 
England and Pakistan are both mid level teams, not so consistent even when playing at home so Eng v Pak Test matches wont be a whitewash of Pak like it was in Australia expect Pakistan and even West Indies to be competitive in test matches in England
 
England will need to win at least 5 out of the 6 tests to have a chance of getting to the test championship final. Australia, India, and NZ are strong at home and won't drop many games at home.

We realistically need to win the series to have a chance of getting to the final.
 
Poms do have a chance to score 6-0 this summer, weather permitting; but question is - are they than much ruthless. I think, the key here is Joe Root - he has to be hungry and focused; they have better squads for the condition, needs to be mentally tough to keep pressing.

Twice AUS had a run of 16 consecutive Test wins and I heard both captains (Waugh & Ponting) minutely on this topic - both said similar words. "... squad is much better, so obviously most times we start as favorites, but for such continuation, along with playing well, you have to keep pressing, never get complacent until job is done and always make up any lost ground in very next opportunity.... and always play for win".

Root has to believe in his team and believe that they can win 6-0; then press for it desperately. In that process even if it ends at 3-3, so it be.
 
England should win every single Test in the summer. Anything short of that would be a complete failure.

West Indies and Pakistan at home. Two terribly ordinary teams. It doesn’t get easier than that.

Am sure Pakistan drew against england in England 2 years ago
 

Pakistan’s Last 8 Test Results in England.


Leeds Test 2018 = Lost.
Lord’s Test 2018 = Won.
Oval Test 2016 = Won.
Edgbaston Test 2016 = Lost.
Old Trafford Test 2016 = Lost.
Lord’s Test 2016 = Won.
Lord’s Test 2010 = Lost.
Oval Test 2010 = Won.

Mickey Arthur as Pakistan Coach in London

Won the Lord’s Test vs England 2016 on 14th-17th July 2016.
Won the Oval Test vs England 2016 on 11th-14th August 2016.
Lost the Lord’s ODI vs England 2016 on 27th August 2016.
Won Champions Trophy final 2017 vs India at the Oval on 18th June 2017.
Won the Lord’s Test vs England 2018 on 24th-27th May 2018.
No result vs England in Oval ODI 2019 on 8th May 2019.
Won vs South Africa in the World Cup at Lord’s on 23rd June 2019.
Won vs Bangladesh in the World Cup at Lord’s on 5th July 2019.

This was the stats I was looking for good stuff
 
Alot of comments stating pakistan going to get whitewashed but I dont think so first of all England test team isnt as strong for example

Cook,Strauss both retired
Anderson past his best and to many injuries
Broad past his best but good enough
No quality spinner
Only pluss is archer but hes had injuries
 
Alot of comments stating pakistan going to get whitewashed but I dont think so first of all England test team isnt as strong for example

Cook,Strauss both retired
Anderson past his best and to many injuries
Broad past his best but good enough
No quality spinner
Only pluss is archer but hes had injuries

Where is all this Broad and Anderson past their best stuff coming from. If anything they're looking as good as ever (Anderson's fitness permitting).
 
We can only win at Lord’s and Oval only. We have lost every non-London Test since winning at Old Trafford in 2001.

Pak in Test Cricket vs Eng:
2012 = Won 3-0 in UAE.
2015 = Won 2-0 in UAE.
2016 = Drew 2-2 in Eng.
2018 = Drew 1-1 in Eng.

But in ODIs:
2010 = Lost 3-2 in Eng.
2012 = Lost 4-0 in UAE.
2015 = Lost 3-1 in UAE.
2016 = Lost 4-1 in Eng.
2019 = Lost 4-0 in Eng.
But Pak won in CT & CWC.
 
Pak in Test Cricket vs Eng:
2012 = Won 3-0 in UAE.
2015 = Won 2-0 in UAE.
2016 = Drew 2-2 in Eng.
2018 = Drew 1-1 in Eng.

But in ODIs:
2010 = Lost 3-2 in Eng.
2012 = Lost 4-0 in UAE.
2015 = Lost 3-1 in UAE.
2016 = Lost 4-1 in Eng.
2019 = Lost 4-0 in Eng.
But Pak won in CT & CWC.

Yes, Pakistan has been England’s bogey team in the previous decade especially in Test cricket. However, it will change now. We are bound to lose the upcoming series.
 
Yes, Pakistan has been England’s bogey team in the previous decade especially in Test cricket. However, it will change now. We are bound to lose the upcoming series.

Aap ka negativity band kar.

Pakistan Test tours of England.
1987 = Won 1-0 (5).
1992 = Won 2-1 (5).
1996 = Won 2-0 (3).
2001 = Drew 1-1 (2).
2006 = Lost 3-0 (4).
2010 = Lost 3-1 (4).
2016 = Drew 2-2 (4).
2018 = Drew 1-1 (2).

Pakistan have only lost 2 of their last 8 Test series in England.

England's last 22 Test series at home (2009-2019).
Won 16.
Drawn 4.
Lost 2.
Pakistan are the only team to played have played 2 series in those 22 series without losing.

But have lost at least 2 home Tests every summer for 6 years running.
014: vs SL (1), Ind (1).
015: vs NZ (1), Aus (2).
016: vs Pak (2).
017: vs SA (1), WI (1).
018: vs Pak (1), Ind (1).
019: vs Aus (2).
England are not as ruthless at home in the same way India or Australia are. They lose Tests, but rarely lose series.

Pakistan in England:
2009 = Won World T20.
2010 = Won 2 Tests.
2016 = Drew Test series 2-2.
2017 = Won Champions Trophy.
2018 = Drew Test series 1-1.
2019 = 5 out of 8 wins at the World Cup, narrowly missing out on semis.
More impressive than India in England, the home of cricket
 
With Azhar as Captain we have a great chance:
Speaks proper English.
No controversies.
Specialist Test Captain.
Experienced Test Cricketer.
World class career stats as a batsman.
Played 12 Tests, 10 ODIs and 2 seasons for Somerset in England, knows England very well.
 
Aap ka negativity band kar.

Pakistan Test tours of England.
1987 = Won 1-0 (5).
1992 = Won 2-1 (5).
1996 = Won 2-0 (3).
2001 = Drew 1-1 (2).
2006 = Lost 3-0 (4).
2010 = Lost 3-1 (4).
2016 = Drew 2-2 (4).
2018 = Drew 1-1 (2).

Pakistan have only lost 2 of their last 8 Test series in England.

England's last 22 Test series at home (2009-2019).
Won 16.
Drawn 4.
Lost 2.
Pakistan are the only team to played have played 2 series in those 22 series without losing.

But have lost at least 2 home Tests every summer for 6 years running.
014: vs SL (1), Ind (1).
015: vs NZ (1), Aus (2).
016: vs Pak (2).
017: vs SA (1), WI (1).
018: vs Pak (1), Ind (1).
019: vs Aus (2).
England are not as ruthless at home in the same way India or Australia are. They lose Tests, but rarely lose series.

Pakistan in England:
2009 = Won World T20.
2010 = Won 2 Tests.
2016 = Drew Test series 2-2.
2017 = Won Champions Trophy.
2018 = Drew Test series 1-1.
2019 = 5 out of 8 wins at the World Cup, narrowly missing out on semis.
More impressive than India in England, the home of cricket

I think, that 2006 series was actually 2-1, rather than 3-0. But, this is different time - past record has very little significance here. Let alone PAK, WIN has won 2 WCs there, made another final, won an ICC KO trophy and played some legendary wins there - 3-1 in 1966, 2-0 in 1976, 2-0 in 1980, combined 9-0 (10) in 1984/88...... it'll be quite an achievement if either team can win one Test this summer, even avoiding 6-0 will be a good result.
 
England should win every single Test in the summer. Anything short of that would be a complete failure.

West Indies and Pakistan at home. Two terribly ordinary teams. It doesn’t get easier than that.

I doubt that. WI did better than expected last time they were here and PAK are usually competitive in England. Much depends on the hosts' young batters continuing to come through.
 
[MENTION=40190]BoomBoomCricket[/MENTION]

You can repeat yourself as much as you want, but I will tag you when England beats us. Then don’t complain that this happened and that happened and it’s okay because this is our first defeat in England since 2010 etc. etc.
 
I doubt that. WI did better than expected last time they were here and PAK are usually competitive in England. Much depends on the hosts' young batters continuing to come through.

Well things are different for Pakistan now. England have improved from 2016 and 2018, while Pakistan were mediocre then and atrocious now.

England will have to play some terrible cricket to not beat Pakistan.
 
Where is all this Broad and Anderson past their best stuff coming from. If anything they're looking as good as ever (Anderson's fitness permitting).

Doubt we will see Anderson again.

An attack of Broad, Wood/Archer, Woakes/Curran, Stokes and Leach looks pretty good.
 
In cricket, as in life, everything is up in the air. The administrators, especially, are caught between the devil and the deep blue sky of lockdown. But as they struggle to squeeze the English season into three months from 1 July, one possibility has been mentioned in passing. Could the men’s team play two international series at the same time?

It helps that the fixture list was already looking like a tasting menu – three Tests against West Indies, three Twenty20s and three one-day internationals against Australia, three Tests and three T20s against Pakistan, and three ODIs against Ireland. There could still be time to fit most of them in but it would plainly be easier if formats were allowed to overlap. Eoin Morgan, the conductor of the white-ball orchestra, says he is open to anything. So let’s see how it might work.

In a sport that wears its history on its sleeve, people will wonder if there is a precedent. The Spin consulted the oracle – Steven Lynch, the deputy editor of Wisden, whose Ask Steven column on Cricinfo has been sorting factual disputes since 1997.

The answer was yes. “England had two Test tours going at once in 1929-30,” Lynch said. “To West Indies and New Zealand. Two England Tests started on 21 February, 1930 – Auckland and Georgetown.” The one in Georgetown was historic: West Indies’ first Test win, featuring twin hundreds from the great George Headley. Not for the last time England may have underestimated their opponents.

England have not played Test and one-day cricket at the same time but Australia very nearly did, quite recently. “February 2017,” Lynch said, crisply. “Australia played Sri Lanka in a T20 at Adelaide on 22 February. Next day, 15 hours later according to Wisden, they started the first Test v India at Pune.” And Australia won both games. (Quiz question: in India’s second innings, all 10 wickets fell to spin – four to Nathan Lyon but who took the other six? Answer at the bottom.)

Simultaneous series would require some lateral thinking. While England have two captains, Morgan and Joe Root, there is only one head coach, Chris Silverwood. But Paul Collingwood, one of the assistant coaches, was already due to take charge against Ireland, so he could be handed the whole white-ball season. Morgan will still be the real boss.

The scheduling would be dictated by coronavirus, plus some common sense. The two formats would be staged at opposite ends of the country, to reduce the chances of both being washed out.

If on-site hotels are essential, as has been mooted, the Test might be at Old Trafford and the one-dayers at the Rose Bowl near Southampton. With spectators unlikely to be invited, the one-day series could all be staged at the same ground, with reserve days, because there would be no travelling. A three-match series could be over in six days flat.

Now for the most interesting piece of the puzzle: selection. England, like Australia, field different teams in Test and one-day cricket, but not entirely different. The selectors, Ed Smith and James Taylor, could work out what to do with the most versatile players but it would be much more fun if Root and Morgan picked teams, the way we all did in the under-10s. The publicity would be worth something too. Cricket on The One Show!

Who would have first pick? Tradition says toss for it, but Morgan may argue it should be him because he would have already lost one regular – Root, still there in the 50-over side as the designated driver.

“So, Eoin,” says Alex Jones, “who’s your first pick?”

“Stokesy.”

“Joe?” There’s a pause, as Root’s familiar smile gives way to a look that could kill. Then he brightens.

“Jofra.”

Jos Buttler, watching at home in London, is wondering which of them to feel more insulted by. Picking teams always did involve some pain and even if Morgan chooses him next, he still has an anxious wait to see who will take the Test place that was still his, just, when the series in Sri Lanka was called off.

It could be Jonny Bairstow, in which case Root will be pinching one of Morgan’s barnstorming openers. Or it could be Ben Foakes, who would then play a first home Test, 18 months after making his debut in Sri Lanka and looking like a senior player.

“Jos,” says Morgan, just about rescuing his relationship with his vice-captain.

“Jonny,” says Root, replacing one batsman-keeper with another. At home in Kent, Ed Smith raises an eyebrow. Somewhere in Surrey, Foakes wonders if there is another country he can qualify for before he retires.

Root may also be tempted to pick Moeen Ali, who took the winter off red-ball cricket. “If there was a Test match tomorrow and I got the call,” Moeen recently said, “I’d say yes.” But if Root sticks with Dom Bess, who shone in South Africa, the tug of love is over. Morgan can summon World Cup winners such as Jason Roy and Adil Rashid, give Tom Banton another try and reveal whether Alex Hales is still in the doghouse. Root can reel off Test regulars such as Ollie Pope and Stuart Broad while handing recalls to Rory Burns and Jimmy Anderson.

The two lineups may look like this. For the Tests: Burns, Sibley, Denly or Crawley, Root (capt), Pope, Bairstow (wkt), Sam Curran, Bess, Archer, Broad, Anderson, with Jack Leach as 12th man. For the one-dayers: Roy, Hales, Banton, Morgan (capt), Stokes, Buttler (wkt), Moeen, Woakes, Rashid, Tom Curran, Wood. Two decent teams, and one mouthwatering prospect: Anderson and Archer sharing the new ball, which could be like watching Richard Hadlee team up with Michael Holding.

For the cricket-loving public, it may be more straightforward than it looks. Unlike football fans, we’re used to seeing two teams we support play at once. We know that our sport, in Matthew Engel’s memorable phrase, is the background music of an English summer. We’ll tune in and out, quite happily, from 11am till 11pm. After the famine, not even cricket fans will moan about a glut.

Source: Guardian
 
Lancashire made an operating profit of £7.6m in 2019 - the "best-ever" earnings for a first-class county.

A club record £34m turnover was helped by Old Trafford hosting an Ashes Test and six World Cup matches last summer.

The 12 days of international cricket brought in revenue of more than £17.5m, while T20 Blast crowds went up by 34%.

"To generate in excess of £30m of non-broadcast revenues is truly remarkable and better than some Premier League clubs," said CEO Daniel Gidney.

"Clearly, these are now tough times as the club navigates its way through the current COVID-19 pandemic, but these results at least help relieve that financial burden."

Lancashire made £8.4m from conferences and events at Old Trafford, which has seen a £60m decade-long redevelopment.

On the field, the Red Rose won County Championship Division Two - securing an instant return to the top tier following their relegation in 2018, when the club made an operating profit of almost £2.4m.

Lancashire are still hoping to stage some county cricket this summer despite the start of the season being delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I believe it's very important from a mental health perspective to give members, staff, fans, players, something to hang on to," Gidney told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"We would like to see some domestic white-ball cricket, probably more likely at the back end of the season, in towards August in September, and that's currently where a rescheduled Blast will probably go."

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/52686680
 
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