 | |
| Personnel | |
|---|---|
| Coach | Andrew Flintoff |
| Owner | England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) |
| Team information | |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Official website | Official Website |
TheEngland Lions (formerlyEngland A)cricket team isEngland and Wales' "second-tier" team, below the fullEngland cricket team. It is largely intended as a way for promising young cricketers to gain experience in international cricket.
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'scounty champion and in 1996 and 1997 against a Rest of England team. England A also played twoList A games against the fullSri Lankan touring side in England in 1991.
Previously a second tier team known as"England B" played one game against thePakistanis in 1982 and had made a full tour ofSri Lanka in 1985/86. The first full tour by a team named"England A" was toZimbabwe in 1989/90, and consisted of threefirst-class matches and three50-over games. On this occasion England A played against the fullZimbabwe 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 theirAustralian A team counterparts until 2021.
They also often play matches against state or provincial sides, and in 2000/01 England A participated in theBusta Cup, theWest Indian domestic first-class competition, finishing in third place out of the eight teams taking part. In 2003/04 England A took part inIndia'sDuleep 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.
The newly rebranded England Lions was then integrated with theECB 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 theWest Indies atWorcester.[1] Later in the summer against the touringIndians the Lions drew a 3-day match atChelmsford and had a one-day match abandoned due to rain atNorthampton.[2]
On 4 January 2008 the squad for the England Lions tour ofIndia was named, with Sussex batsmanMichael Yardy named as captain. The team competed in the2008 Duleep Trophy domesticfirst-class competition in addition to friendly matches.[3]
On 7th September 2024,Andrew Flintoff was named England Lions head coach.[4]
The following players were named in the squad for the 2025-26 England Lions tour ofAustralia A.[5]
The captain of the side typically varies from series to series. The most recent captain isJames Rew.
† = has played senior international cricket forEngland.
| 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[6] | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990/91 | Pakistan[7] | — | — | — | 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[8] | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1[9] | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sri Lanka | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1998/99 | Zimbabwe | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0[9] | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[9] | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| South Africa | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1999/2000 | Bangladesh[10] | — | — | — | 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[11] | 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[12] | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| India | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2007/08 | India[13] | — | — | — | 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[14] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| England[14] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | |
| 2010 | Bangladesh | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| West Indies[15] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| India[15] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2010/11 | West Indies[16] | — | — | — | 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[17] | 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[18] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| New Zealand[18] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2014/15 | South Africa | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015/16 | Pakistan[19] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | Sri Lanka[20] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pakistan[20] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2018 | West Indies[21] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| India[21] | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2018–19 | Pakistan | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| 2025–26 | Pakistan | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| 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.
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| Grounds | |||||||||||||
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| ICC Full members (2) | |
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| ICC Associate members (4) | |
 England | |
 Guernsey | |
 Jersey | |
 Ireland | |
 Northern Ireland | |
 Isle of Man | |
 Scotland | |
 Wales | |
| Other | |
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