Hectic schedule awaiting England’s cricketers

ENGLAND’S men are facing a packed schedule of international cricket with series against Ireland and Pakistan crammed tight into a short but intense period – but talks over the first women’s matches of the summer remain ongoing.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced three day/ night one-day internationals against the Irish in the space of just six days between July 30 and August 4.

England then take on the touring Pakistan side in three Tests and three Twenty20s in less than a month.

The first Test against Pakistan will start on August 5 and the Vitality T20 series concludes on September 1. As is the case for the #raisethebat Test series against the West Indies, the teams will shuttle between just two ‘bio-secure’ venues – leaving all scheduled cricket to be held at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton and Lancashire’s Emirates Old Trafford.

The congestion of the red and white-ball fixtures will necessitate the use of separate squads for the programme, meaning little or no crossover between the groups.

The Ireland series is sandwiched in between Test assignments, starting less than 48 hours after the final day of action against the West Indies and concluding the night before the Pakistan series begins.

The groundwork had already been started for fielding distinct squads, with selectors calling up an enlarged training group of 55 several weeks ago.

Heather Knight and her England women still have no competitive cricket lined up but the ECB say talks over a tri-series with India and South Africa – probably in September – are “progressing positively.”

A white-ball visit by Australia’s men is also expected to be signed off soon.