Cricket

The Men's and Women's Ashes

As we prepare this July edition, the First Test of the Men's Ashes cricket series is in full swing and as highly competitive as ever!

There are five Tests in total this summer and as we go 'live' with this edition, the second Test will be taking place at Lord's.

Second Test, Lord’s, London, June 28th - July 2nd.
Third Test, Headingley, Leeds July 6th - 10th.
Fourth Test, Old Trafford, Manchester July 19th - 23rd.
Fifth Test, The Oval, London, July 27th - 31st.

If you have Sky Sports at home then you're in luck, because all the matches are live on that channel, however, the BBC will show highlights.

The England squad for the first two Tests is as follows:

Ben Stokes (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

England have not won the Ashes since 2017 although they must be feeling confident, having won so many of their matches whilst Ben Stokes has been their captain. Australia are as keen to win in England as England are to win at home and so both teams will be giving this series their all.

Australia won the first Test. Who do you predict to win the next and overall?

Women's Ashes

England women are also playing Australia in the Ashes this month, the first time both competitions, the Men’s and Women’s competition, have been hosted alongside one another.

They began at the end of June at Trent Bridge, Nottingham and this was the first time the women's team have played a Test match over five days at a home ground.

Once again showing the popularity and public interest in the women's game, their match venues include Edgbaston, Lords and the Oval for the first ever Women's Ashes International Twenty20s, or IT20 (20 over games). At the end of July there are a number of One Day internationals which will be 50 over matches in Bristol, Southampton and Taunton.