Test cricket isn’t supposed to be easy, but for much of the 2021–2022 Ashes series, the England team looked like extras in a movie celebrating Australian sporting greatness. That, however, is all in the past, and Joe Root and his side will already have their sights fixed on writing a new script for 2022.
From 8–12 March 2022, a new-look England team, without respected leading men James Anderson and Stuart Broad, will be on-location in Antigua for the first match in a 3-Test series with the West Indies. Visits to Barbados (16–20 March) and Grenada (24–28 March) soon follow, where lush valleys, white-sand beaches, and shimmering coastlines ensure that, no matter how the story unfolds on the field, cricket fans can relax and enjoy the show.
Standard tickets for the West Indies series start at £15, but for those in the mood for celebration, the Kensington Oval’s Party Stand, complete with its own beach, pool, and live entertainment, will have you feeling like an A-lister throughout the Second Test. Admission to the Party Stand is available for £74, and includes 3 meal vouchers and 5 beverages, meaning you can kick back and fall into rhythm with island life in no time.
After a short interval, Act Two begins for England back at the home of cricket, Lord’s, with a Test against New Zealand between 2–6 June. This is quickly followed by matches at Trent Bridge (10–14 June) and Headingley (23–27 June), the latter of which still has tickets available for £13. With the Black Caps becoming a formidable force in all forms of cricket in recent years, victory for England over New Zealand – backdrop for much of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings saga – would most certainly be precious.
Naturally, the sporting world is full of plot twists, and this was never clearer than in 2021 when India’s much-anticipated trip to England was cut short due to Covid-19. This year, between 1–5 July, the Indian side returns to complete the Test series it began with England last summer. Tickets for this history-laden clash of the titans begin at £18, while a taste of one of Edgbaston’s renowned luxury hospitality experiences can be purchased for £311.
Every box office success needs a memorable ending, and the finale to England’s smash-hit summer is no different. From 17 August – 12 September, South Africa will star opposite the English side in a 3–Test series to close out a busy schedule for the home nation’s red-ball specialists. Standard tickets for the series are available from as little as £20, while hospitality options are vast and start at £350. Fans from both countries will be hoping for a happy ending before players head off for the T20 World Cup in October, but no matter who proves victorious, when all is said and done, it will likely be Test cricket – with all its trademark action, drama and suspense – that deserves the standing ovation.
Click here for more information and tickets for England’s busy summer of Test cricket.