England Lions cricket team
The England Lions (formerly England A) cricket team is England and Wales' "second-tier" team, below the full England cricket team. It is largely intended as a way for promising young cricketers to gain experience of playing international cricket.
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| Personnel | |
|---|---|
| Owner | England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) |
| Team information | |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Official website | Official Website |
England B and England A
Although primarily intended as a touring team, for several years in the 1990s they played one match in England at the start of each season: between 1992 and 1995 against the previous season's county champion and in 1996 and 1997 against a Rest of England team. England A also played two List A games against the full Sri Lankan touring side in England in 1991.
Previously a second tier team known as "England B" played one game against the Pakistanis in 1982 and had made a full tour of Sri Lanka in 1985/86. The first full tour by a team named "England A" was to Zimbabwe in 1989/90, and consisted of three first-class matches and three 50-over games. On this occasion England A played against the full Zimbabwe side, but on subsequent tours their most important opponents have usually been the equivalent A teams of the countries they have been touring. However, England A has toured Australia but had played a match against their Australian A team counterparts until 2021.
They also often play matches against state or provincial sides, and in 2000/01 England A participated in the Busta Cup, the West Indian domestic first-class competition, finishing in third place out of the eight teams taking part. In 2003/04 England A took part in India's Duleep Trophy competition, but failed to progress beyond the group stages after losing both their matches. There were no England A matches played in the period between these two tours.
England Lions
The newly rebranded England Lions was then integrated with the ECB National Academy, with touring parties taken from the Academy squad. On 15 June 2007, it was announced by the ECB (English & Welsh Cricket Board) the inaugural Lions side would play a one-day touring warm-up match against the West Indies at Worcester.[1] Later in the summer against the touring Indians the Lions drew a 3-day match at Chelmsford and had a one-day match abandoned due to rain at Northampton.[2]
On 4 January 2008 the squad for the England Lions tour of India was named, with Sussex batsman Michael Yardy named as captain. The team competed in the 2008 Duleep Trophy domestic first-class competition in addition to friendly matches.[3]
Current squad
The following players were named in the squad for the 2023 England Lions tour of Sri Lanka.
The captain of the side typically varies from series to series. On this tour, the chosen captain was Haseeb Hameed.
† = has played senior international cricket for England.
Results summary
Season-by-season
| Season | Country | First-class v. A team | Other first-class | List A v. A team | Other List A | Twenty20 v. A team | Other Twenty20 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | D | L | W | D | L | W | L | T/NR | W | L | T/NR | W | L | T/NR | W | L | T/NR | ||
| England B (1982–1985/86) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1982 | Pakistan | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985/86 | Sri Lanka | — | — | — | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| England A (1989/90–2006/07) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1989/90 | Zimbabwe[4] | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990/91 | Pakistan[5] | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1991 | England | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991/92 | West Indies | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1992 | England | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1992/93 | Australia | — | — | — | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1993 | England | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1993/94 | South Africa | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994 | England | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994/95 | India | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | England | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995/96 | Pakistan | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996 | England | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996/97 | Australia | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997 | England | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997/98 | Kenya[6] | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1[7] | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1998/99 | Zimbabwe | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0[7] | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[7] | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| South Africa | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1999/2000 | Bangladesh[8] | — | — | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2000/01 | West Indies | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003/04 | India | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004/05 | Sri Lanka[9] | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005/06 | West Indies | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006/07 | Bangladesh | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| England Lions (2007–present) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | West Indies | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 1[10] | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| India | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2007/08 | India[11] | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | New Zealand | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| South Africa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2008/09 | New Zealand | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2009 | West Indies | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Australia | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2009/10 | Pakistan[12] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| England[12] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | |
| 2010 | Bangladesh | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| West Indies[13] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| India[13] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2010/11 | West Indies[14] | — | — | — | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | Sri Lanka | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011/12 | Bangladesh | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2012 | West Indies | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Australia | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2012–13 | Australia | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 4 | 1[15] | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | New Zealand | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bangladesh | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2013/14 | Sri Lanka | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | Sri Lanka[16] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| New Zealand[16] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2014/15 | South Africa | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015/16 | Pakistan[17] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | Sri Lanka[18] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pakistan[18] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2018 | West Indies[19] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| India[19] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Head-to-head
| Team | First-class | List A | Twenty20 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | D | L | W | L | T/NR | W | L | T/NR | |
| Australians | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Australia A | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Bangladesh | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Bangladesh A | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Bangladeshis | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Barbados | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Border | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Central Districts | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Central Zone | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Combined XI | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Combined Campuses and Colleges | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Eastern Province | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| East Zone | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| England | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Essex | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Gauteng XI | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Guyana | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| India A | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Indian Board President's XI | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Indians | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Indian Youth XI | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jamaica | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Karachi | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Karnataka | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Kenya | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — |
| Leeward Islands | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mashonaland | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Middlesex | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Natal | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| New South Wales | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — |
| New Zealand A | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| New Zealand Academy | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| New Zealanders | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Northern Transvaal | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| North Island | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Orange Free State | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pakistan A | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Pakistan Cricket Board XI | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Pakistan Cricket Board Patron's XI | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pakistanis | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pakistan University Grants Commission | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Queensland | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| The Rest | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| South Africa A | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| South African Board President's XI | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| South Africans | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| South Australia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Southern Districts XI | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| South Island | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| South Zone | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka A | 4 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka Board President's XI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka Colts XI | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka Cricket Combined XI | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka Emerging Players | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sri Lankans | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Tamil Nadu | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tasmania | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Transvaal | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| United Arab Emirates | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Victoria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Western Province | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| West Indians | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| West Indies A | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — |
| West Indies B | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| West Zone | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Windward Islands | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Zimbabwe A | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Zimbabwe Country Districts | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — |
| Zimbabwe Cricket Academy | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Zimbabwe Cricket Union President's XI | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Up to date as of 16 December 2015.
See also
Notes
- "Solanki to lead England 'Lions'", 2007-06-15, BBC Sport. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
- "Deluge denies Lions Archived 2008-10-07 at the Wayback Machine", England and Wales Cricket Board.
- "Yardy leads Lions in India Archived 2008-07-19 at the Wayback Machine", 2008-01-04, England and Wales Cricket Board. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
- England A played their three first-class matches against the full Zimbabwean side rather than the A team.
- The tour was called off after two matches because of the start of the Gulf War.
- All four matches were played against the full Kenyan side.
- One further match was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
- All three matches were played against the full Bangladeshi side.
- England took part in a triangular one-day tournament also involving Pakistan A. There were two games against Sri Lanka A (W1 L1) and two against Pakistan A (L2)
- Match played against the full West Indian side.
- England Lions played as a guest team in the Duleep Trophy, an Indian domestic competition.
- Matches played in the United Arab Emirates.
- England Lions played in a triangular series against West Indies A and India A.
- England Lions played in the Regional Four Day Competition, a domestic competition in the West Indies.
- Match abandoned with no toss having taken place.
- England Lions played in a triangular series against Sri Lanka A and New Zealand A.
- England Lions toured the United Arab Emirates, playing five List-A and five Twenty20 matches against Pakistan A and one unofficial Twenty20 and two 50-over games against the UAE national side.
- England Lions played in a triangular series against Sri Lanka A and Pakistan A.
- England Lions played in a triangular series against India A and Windies A.
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