England face Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge on Wednesday 6 July in a NatWest Series One Day International.

More than 14000 seats have already been sold for next week’s fixture but supporters can still buy tickets in certain areas of the ground including the middle and lower tiers of the Radcliffe Road Stand.

It will be only the second time that the two countries have met here in an ODI, with England having won the 2002 meeting by 44 runs.

On that occasion, England batted first after skipper Nasser Hussain had won the toss and made 293-6, with each of the eight batsmen that were used reaching double figures.  

Alec Stewart top-scored with 83 but it was a 38 ball half-century, coupled with bowling figures of 3-49, that secured the Man of the Match Award for Andrew Flintoff. Sri Lanka’s response totalled 249-9 with only opener Romesh Kaluwitharana passing fifty.

Prior to the start of the current series of matches England and Sri Lanka had met on 48 occasions in 50-over cricket:
15 times in England – Eng 8 wins / Sri Lanka 7 wins
16 times in Sri Lanka – Eng 4 wins / Sri Lanka 10 wins / no result 2
17 times on neutral turf – Eng 11 wins / Sri Lanka 5 wins / no result 1

This will be the 35th One Day International at Trent Bridge. Last year England defeated Bangladesh here, with Ian Bell’s 84 not out helping England to a 6-wicket success.

That was the second time that the Tigers had played an ODI in Nottingham with the home side running up a record score of 391-4 here in 2005, with Andrew Strauss and Paul Collingwood each getting hundreds. Collingwood experienced an all-rounders dream ‘double’ by following up his 112 not out by taking 6-31 with the ball.

Trent Bridge staged its first ever One Day International on 31 August 1974 when England played Pakistan. Originally scheduled to be a 55 over contest, morning rain reduced the contest to fifty overs per side. England made 244-4, with David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd carrying his bat throughout the innings to reach 116 not out.

Pakistan gave ODI debuts to Imran Khan and Zaheer Abbas but it was another of their celebrated batsmen, Majid Khan, who replied with a ton of his own as the tourists eased to a 7 wicket victory.

Apart from Lloyd, Strauss and Collingwood’s centuries, there have only been six other occasions on which an English batter has reached three figures. Nick Knight and Alec Stewart both carried their bats right through completed innings, Keith Fletcher and Robin Smith scored tons, in 1975 and 1990 respectively – whilst Alan Lamb is the only cricketer to score two ODI hundreds at TB – 118 v Pakistan in 1982 and 100 not out against the Aussies seven years later.

There have only been five visiting centurions – Majid and Zaheer for Pakistan – and three Australians, Trevor (the third brother!) Chappell, who did it in a 1983 World Cup match against India, plus Ricky Ponting and Tim Paine, who both reached three figures here in 2009.

Apart from Collingwood, Pakistan’s Waqar Younis and Ken MacLeay of Australia, are the only bowlers to claim six-wicket hauls in Trent Bridge One Day Internationals – with Nottinghamshire’s Stuart Broad, joining the great Indian all-rounder Kapil Dev as the only two bowlers to get five-fors.

Broad’s effort came three years ago, helping to dismiss South Africa for just 83 in 23 overs. England’s ten wicket victory took just 14.1 overs to complete, making it the quickest-ever ODI match.

Apart from Stuart – eight other Notts players have represented England in Trent Bridge ODIs; his dad Chris, Eddie Hemmings, Derek Randall, Chris Lewis, Paul Franks, Chris Read, Ryan Sidebottom and Graeme Swann.

The closest finish in the previous 34 matches came in 1989 when England and Australia contested a tie in a 55 over game – 226 runs apiece – and perhaps the biggest shock came during a 1983 World Cup match when Zimbabwe beat Australia by 13 runs - and nine of the previous matches were umpired by the late, great David Shepherd.

There’s no finer cricketing sight than a packed Trent Bridge all spruced up for international duty and fingers crossed, whatever else happens at Trent Bridge on Wednesday, as long as there’s play of some sort the ground will keep up its proud record of not having lost an ODI game to the elements.

Ticket Information
NatWest Series One Day International
Wednesday 6th July – 2pm start – Trent Bridge
England v Sri Lanka

Adult tickets range from £38-£63 and are available in the Radcliffe Road Stand, Hound Road Stand, Fox Road Stand, William Clarke Stand and the New Stand.

Under 13s can buy tickets in the ‘Big Cats Den’ for £8 with one free adult ticket included for every eight junior tickets purchased through this promotion.

Click here to buy your tickets or call our ticket office on 0844 8118711.