Cricket betting tips: Best bets for England vs New Zealand and Ireland vs India
England and New Zealand meet in a series-deciding third Test at Trent Bridge, while India begin their two-match T20I series against Ireland in Belfast.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket expert Himanshu Sharma breaks down the best bets, value plays, and key betting angles for this week’s fixtures.
Test cricket news: Five talking points ahead of the third Test between England and New Zealand
England head north to Nottingham as they take on New Zealand in the decider of their three-match Test series against New Zealand.
England won the first Test at Lords, but suffered a 253-run loss in the second at the Oval.
Hundreds thanks to Glenn Phillips and Henry Nicholls ensured that the Kiwis take it to a deciding Test at Trent Bridge, starting Thursday.
The Three Lions announced their squad on Sunday and there are plenty of talking points to take from it.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Jacob Hibbert picks out five to take a look at.
Cricket news: How England’s XI could shape up for the second Test v New Zealand
Joe Root captains the England side as they take on New Zealand at The Oval on Wednesday in the second of their three-match Test series.
The starting XI was announced on Monday and includes four players who didn’t feature at Lord’s: Jofra Archer, Matt Fisher, Sonny Baker and Jordan Cox - with the latter two making their Test debuts, writes Sports News Blitz’s Jacob Hibbert.
The changes come after Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were involved in an incident at a nightclub after the first victory of the English Test summer.
Cricket news: Ben Stokes under pressure - five contenders for the captain’s role
England men’s cricket captain Ben Stokes has been in the press for all the wrong reasons since Sunday night, alongside team-mate and bowler Gus Atkinson.
Following this, it remains unclear as to whether Stokes will continue as England captain.
He has been left out of the 15-man squad for the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval, with former captain Joe Root set to lead the side.
Without an obvious successor, Sports News Blitz writer Jacob Hibbert takes a look at five candidates to take over as England captain if Stokes’ time comes to an end.
Test cricket analysis: Five talking points from England’s Test win over New Zealand
England wiped away their winter blues as they started the Test summer with a victory over New Zealand at Lord’s.
The Three Lions won by 115 runs across just four days, despite persistent weather delays, with less than 170 overs played in the match.
Performances from the likes of Emilio Gay, who top scored in the match with 57, plus Ollie Robinson and Gus Atkinson (both of whom getting 5-fers) led much of the conversation.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Jacob Hibbert looks at five talking points from the match which marked the start of the three match Test series.
Test cricket betting tips: Suggested bets for England vs New Zealand and India vs Afghanistan
With the IPL 2026 season done and dusted, attention turns back to Test cricket as England host New Zealand and India welcome Afghanistan.
With World Test Championship points back on the line, New Zealand will look to strengthen their position at the top, while India and England aim to move up in the standings.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket expert Himanshu Sharma breaks down the best bets, value plays and key betting angles for the upcoming Tests.
Cricket news: England’s Jacob Bethell responds to Sir Alastair Cook’s criticism of his IPL participation
Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook recently commented on Jacob Bethell’s lack of playing time for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League, writes Sports News Blitz’s Darshan Kaur Gill.
Cook criticised the all-rounder for staying at RCB on The Overlap’s Stick to Cricket podcast, saying: “He’s sitting on his a**e in the IPL not doing anything, ideally he could come back and open for Warwickshire to help England.”
Bethell achieved a century in England’s final Test against Australia in Sydney, and achieved 105 runs in the T20 World Cup semi-final against India earlier this year, cementing his status as a rising star in cricket.
England cricket analysis: The impressive transformation of Will Jacks
England all-rounder Will Jacks has seen a resurgence batting at number seven while being the go-to bowling option for captain Harry Brook.
Sai Raghav Balakrishnan writes here for Sports News Blitz on why Jacks is so important for the England cricket team.
England were the first team to make the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, having flattered to deceive in most of their wins.
T20 World Cup betting tips: India vs England – Two-time winners eye third title
The second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2026 pits India against England.
Having won two titles each, India and England now chase history as they look to become the first team to win three T20 World Cups.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s cricket betting writer Himanshu Sharma previews India vs England in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup.
Cricket analysis: Harry Brook’s coming-of-age innings for England
Promoted to No.3 for the first time, England’s captain played a blistering innings, sprinkled with a hint of newfound maturity.
If you want it done, do it yourself. Harry Brook took matters into his own hands by promoting himself to No.3 and smashing a 50-ball century to pull a sloppy England past an even sloppier Pakistan to become the first team to reach the semi-finals.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Sai Raghav Balakrishnan discusses Brook’s first T20I 100 against Pakistan in the Super 8’s.
Cricket news: Brilliant Brook takes England into the semi-finals after incredible century
England defeated Pakistan by two wickets on Tuesday, February 24, to seal a semi-final spot in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.
Sports News Blitz writer Dejan Johal reviews the match and what this result now means for both teams.
Cricket opinion: Five players to look out for in England’s ODI series against Sri Lanka
With the 2025/26 Ashes series wrapped up, England’s attention has turned to the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Ahead of the competition, the white-ball side led by Harry Brook will play three ODIs and three T20s against Sri Lanka, so which players are eyeing up a big tour?
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Jacob Howson looks at five potential key performers for England against Sri Lanka.
Cricket news: Time for change? Evaluating Brendon McCullum as England head coach
England’s rapid Ashes defeat in Australia has reignited debate over Brendon McCullum’s leadership and whether Bazball is delivering enough results at the highest level.
The ‘Bazball’ approach has undoubtedly transformed English cricket, bringing an exciting and aggressive brand of play. The question now is whether it has delivered the results many expected.
Sports News Blitz writer Jacob Howson offers his thoughts.
Ashes news: What to expect in the second Test and where England must improve at The Gabba
After a hugely disappointing opening Test match in Perth, in which Australia beat England inside just two days, attention now turns to The Gabba for the second Ashes Test.
The second Test provides an opportunity for England to restore an entire nation’s belief, but only if they can put the ghosts of Perth behind them and win at The Gabba.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket writer Joseph Ould gives his thoughts.
Ashes news: Five takeaways from the first Test as Australia trounce England and Bazball questioned
England arrived for the first Ashes Test in Perth armed with Bazball’s audacious spirit – but by the end of day two, they had been torn apart by Australia.
By all accounts, the 2025/26 Ashes opener had raised an uncomfortable question: Is the aggressive, all-guns-blazing philosophy that has defined England under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes going to be ill-suited to conditions Down Under?
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Jameel Mulla takes a look at five things we learnt across the two-day Test match in this regard.
Ashes analysis: Series score prediction and the main men for Australia and England
The Ashes is finally here - and we cannot wait to watch that first ball of what should be a pulsating series in the land Down Under.
All the talk is that Ben Stokes’ England have an excellent chance to win the Ashes on Australian soil - but talk is cheap, and we will know by the time we wake up on Friday morning what reality looks like.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s cricket writer Jameel Mulla assesses the series ahead.
The Ashes news: Australia vs England – Five questions that will decide the series Down Under
The 2025/26 Ashes series between Australia and England is shaping up to be one of the most hotly anticipated cricketing battles in years.
And if England are to win Down Under for the first time in 15 years, the details are going to make all the difference.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Joseph Ould takes a look at five key questions that could decide the blockbuster match-up.
From trailblazer to mentor: Roland Butcher on changing the face of English cricket
Roland Butcher’s story is one of resilience, trailblazing achievement, and deep love for the game. A former England international and Middlesex legend, he made history as the first black player to represent his country - a moment that changed English cricket forever.
Today, as a respected cricket speaker, Roland shares the lessons learned from a lifetime in professional sport, from overcoming barriers to building winning teams and nurturing future talent.
His insights reach far beyond the boundary, resonating with leaders, athletes, and audiences alike.
In this exclusive interview with the High Performance Speakers Agency, Roland reflects on his journey through cricket, the importance of representation, and what it truly means to perform at the highest level.
Cricket news: England must overcome woeful Perth record if they are to regain Ashes from Australia
England begin their campaign to regain the Ashes for the first time since 2015 in just under a month’s time, with the opening match against Australia set for Optus Stadium in Perth.
Despite coming into the series with confidence after a battling 2-2 draw with India over the summer, the visitors may find it difficult to start the five-Test showdown off on the right foot.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Oliver Shorland takes a look at England’s woeful record in Western Australia.
Cricket news: England warm up for blockbuster Ashes series with white-ball tour of New Zealand
England’s white-ball tour of New Zealand gets underway this weekend, with several members of the Ashes squad looking to sharpen their skills ahead of next month’s blockbuster showdown with Australia.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Oliver Shorland analyses three key areas of the tourists’ squad.