England to face New Zealand and South Africa in 2022 summer Tests

In the first part of July, India will tour once again for three T20Is and three ODIs, meaning that England’s entire white-ball schedule will be limited to July

England will face New Zealand and South Africa in Test series next summer, with India returning for a white-ball tour through the first half of July.

In a similar international schedule to this year, Joe Root’s side will lock horns with Kane Williamson’s team in June for three Tests, a one-game increase on earlier this season, when they faced England ahead of the World Test Championship final.

The second three-Test series of the summer will take place against South Africa through the latter half of August and the start of September. These follow three-match ODI and T20I series against the same opposition between July 19 and July 31.

In the first part of July, India will play three T20Is and three ODIs, meaning that England’s entire white-ball schedule will be limited to July.

As reported last month by The Cricketer, T20 Blast Finals Day has also been shifted into midsummer, taking place in 2022 at Edgbaston on July 16, allowing the entire competition to be played in a single block. This year, matches from three separate tournaments were staged between the end of the group stage and the beginning of the knockout rounds.

^{New Zealand are the current World Test Champions}

The final Test of the summer returns to the Kia Oval, having seen that tradition altered for 2021, with the fifth Test of the ongoing series against India taking place at Emirates Old Trafford.

ECB chief executive Tom Harrison said: “It has been a scintillating summer of cricket and so good to see crowds back packing out venues later this summer. For next summer, I am pleased to be able to confirm three high-quality men’s international touring teams for 2022, starting with a three-Test LV= Insurance series against World Test champions New Zealand.

“We also look forward to India returning for two white-ball series before we host South Africa for what promises to be hard-fought series across three formats, including three LV= Insurance Test matches.”

England Women’s programme for next year has not yet been confirmed, but it includes a 50-over World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, which could have a knock-on effect on the timeslot allocated for The Hundred.

The decision to stage men’s white-ball internationals through to July 31, as well as recent confirmation from Hundred managing director Sanjay Patel that men’s and women’s doubleheaders would continue next year, suggests that the competition could well begin in mid-August following the conclusion of the Commonwealth Games, in which the cricket event is being held at Edgbaston until August 7.

^{England last faced South Africa shortly before the start of the pandemic}

England Men's LV= Insurance Test Series against New Zealand

1st LV= Insurance Test, Lord’s – 2-6 June

2nd LV= Insurance Test, Trent Bridge – 10-14 June

3rd LV= Insurance Test, Emerald Headingley – 23-27 June

Vitality IT20 Series against India

1st Vitality T20I, Emirates Old Trafford – 1 July

2nd Vitality T20I, Trent Bridge – 3 July

3rd Vitality T20I, The Ageas Bowl – 6 July

Royal London ODI Series v India

1st Royal London ODI, Edgbaston – 9 July

2nd Royal London ODI, Kia Oval – 12 July

3rd Royal London ODI, Lord’s – 14 July

Royal London ODI Series against South Africa

1st Royal London ODI, Emirates Riverside – 19 July

2nd Royal London ODI, Emirates Old Trafford – 22 July

3rd Royal London ODI, Emerald Headingley – 24 July

Vitality T20I Series against South Africa

1st Vitality T20I, Bristol – 27 July

2nd Vitality T20I, Sophia Gardens – 28 July

3rd Vitality T20I, The Ageas Bowl – 31 July

LV= Insurance Test Series against South Africa

1st LV= Insurance Test, Lord’s – 17-21 August

2nd LV= Insurance Test, Edgbaston – 25-29 August

3rd LV= Insurance Test, Kia Oval – 8-12 September