England have donned their 50-over colours once more this week for a three-match assignment against South Africa – the first step on the road to their World Cup defence this autumn.
Trent Bridge will act as one of the final stops on the journey to October's showpiece occasion in India, with tickets for England v Ireland (Saturday 23 September) available now...
And with time running out for Jos Buttler to mould his squad ahead of their subcontinential assignment, it's small wonder he sees each and every One-Day International in the coming months as crucial.
Outlaws On Board, And Archer’s Return
Three-match series v South Africa, January 2023
At the tender age of 24, in just his 15th international appearance, Jofra Archer was catapulted into superstardom with his central role in England’s thrilling World Cup triumph.
As he prowled the Lord’s outfield in celebration, the tribulations which would follow in the early 2020s were frankly unthinkable.
A stress fracture here, an unexpected flare-up there, and Archer soon found himself out of the international picture for some 22 months, with only semi-mythical footage of the paceman tearing into teenage opponents for Sussex’s Second XI to sustain his legion of followers.
Now, with a modicum of robustness proven in his five T20 outings for MI Cape Town, the right-armer is back in England colours.
He has taken his place in a Three Lions squad featuring pace aplenty, with Nottinghamshire’s Olly Stone having made his own international comeback in the autumn before joining Archer as part of a fearsome bowling battery in the South African capital.
Stone’s fellow Outlaw Ben Duckett, meanwhile, has enjoyed a revelatory return to the international stage – albeit one which seasoned Nottinghamshire-watchers would have expected from their free-scoring southpaw.
After starring in an IT20 triumph over Pakistan and consolidating his position at the top of the Test batting order, the left-hander is now eyeing an opportunity to make a similar impact in the 50-over format.
And while first of England's three ODIs against the Proteas may have ended in defeat, captain Buttler will hope the must-win nature of his side's next two fixtures inspires a return to winning ways from his charges.
Tigers' Test
Three-match series v Bangladesh, March 2023
With the international game’s showpiece event returning to the subcontinent for the first time in over a decade, mastery of the conditions will be paramount for any side seeking success.
England’s three-fixture assignment in Bangladesh, therefore, will provide invaluable preparation.
And with Bangladesh having recently completed an historic List A series win over India on home soil, the Tigers will be no pushovers as the Three Lions’ title defence draws closer.
Kiwi Conflict Continues
Four-match series v New Zealand, September 2023
50-over cricket returns in earnest as the countdown to the World Cup enters its final weeks, with four fixtures against a side who have become formidable foes in recent years.
From last summer’s simply remarkable Test series – in which England’s red-ball revolution was kickstarted at Trent Bridge – to victory for the Blackcaps in 2021’s T20 World Cup semi-final and that unforgettable 2019 50-over final, a rivalry of mutual respect and no little drama has been forged in all formats.
It promises to serve as ideal preparation for the pressure-cooker environments to come in the year’s final months.
The Final Furlong
Three-match series v Ireland, September 2023
And so to the fixtures in which the final fine-tuning of England’s World Cup defence will be made.
Which of England’s ever-growing battalion of big-hitting batters will be in pole position for a berth in the starting XI? What of the oft-mooted return of Ben Stokes to the ODI game? And will there be a place for T20 world champion Alex Hales?
The answers will arrive as England face foes from across the Irish Sea who will be hellbent on adding to their list of major scalps – including a victory which almost derailed their neighbours’ charge to the T20 World Cup crown.
Stardust, subplots and intrigue aplenty are in store as the Three Lions visit Trent Bridge mere weeks before the start of their 50-over defence. We simply can’t wait to see the action unfold.
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England v Ireland at Trent Bridge
Famed for its rollercoaster run-chases, high drama and exciting finales – at Trent Bridge, our fondness for 50-over cricket frankly knows no bounds.
And, what’s more, the green, green grass of our home is a manor upon which England make white-ball history as standard.
The latest instalment shall unfold on Saturday 23 September 2023, with our visitors hailing from the Emerald Isle – and we can’t wait to welcome you.