England’s top 10 most memorable moments in 2022

From the despair of two Ashes defeats to an incredible Test turnaround and a World Cup win, it has been an incredible year for English cricket.

BBC Sport have picked out 10 moments involving England’s men’s and women’s sides in 2022 for you to look back on before selecting your own top 10 below…

The drawn Women’s Ashes Test

In January the Women’s Ashes Test ended with one of most incredible finales cricket has seen.

Set 257 in 45 overs by Australia, England were on course for a stunning win in the final session, needing 45 from 60 balls. But, as the pressure increased, a collapse of six wickets for 26 runs meant England’s attention switched to saving the draw, with Australia favourites for the win that would have clinched the series.

It was left to England’s number 11 Kate Cross to survive the final over, which she did alongside Sophie Ecclestone.

Sciver’s 148 not out in World Cup final

England may have lost the 50-over Women’s World Cup final in February but Nat Sciver’s innings should be remembered.

In a chase of 357, the all-rounder was the only England batter to pass 30, ending on 148 not out as her side were outclassed once again by Australia.

Root scores 10,000th Test run in England victory

England’s men’s summer began with a tense win over New Zealand at Lord’s where Joe Root scored his 10,000th Test run during a masterful century.

It was an emotional occasion for Root, who stood down as captain two months earlier.

He became the second England player to reach 10,000 runs in Tests – doing so aged 31 years and 157 days, the exact same age his former team-mate Alastair Cook reached the landmark, making the pair the joint youngest to do so.

Bairstow’s blistering century at Trent Bridge

One of the early signs of England’s new, attacking approach in men’s Tests. On the final day of the second Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, England were set what looked a challenging 299 from 72 overs. The task was made even more difficult when they slipped to 93-4.

But Jonny Bairstow took on a stunning assault in the final session. He smashed a century from 77 balls, missing out on making the fastest England Test hundred by one ball. The Yorkshireman finished on 136 from 92 and England won with 22 overs to spare.

England’s record chase against India

Another high in the summer of ‘Bazball’ was the staggering victory against India in the rearranged fourth Test, that had been delayed by the Covid pandemic.

England nonchalantly scored 378 in the final innings, the highest score they have ever made in a fourth-innings chase and the ninth largest in Test history. Root made 142 not out and Bairstow ended unbeaten on 114.

Cricket leads tributes to Queen Elizabeth II

Day one of the third Test between England and South Africa was washed out but in the afternoon it was announced Queen Elizabeth II had died.

The second day was called off as a mark of respect and the game began a day later, becoming one of the first major public events to take place following the Queen’s death.

The players and umpires entered the field through a military guard of honour and a minute’s silence was observed before the national anthems, with God Save The King followed by sustained applause from the crowd.

Sharma’s Mankad at Lord’s

Probably the most controversial moment of the year.

England needed 17 to win the third one-day international against India with one wicket left when bowler Deepti Sharma stopped in her delivery stride and ran out hosts’ batter Charlie Dean at the non-striker’s end.

The dismissal, referred to as a Mankad, overshadowed a momentous day at Lord’s and sparked widespread debate.

England’s demolition of India at T20 World Cup

The most complete men’s performance of the year?

Set 169 to win by a tentative India in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Adelaide, England captain Jos Buttler and fellow opener Alex Hales romped to victory without losing a wicket.

They smashed six after six to silence the largely India-supporting crowd and complete one of England’s great white-ball wins.

England win Men’s T20 World Cup

Three days later, England were crowned double world champions with victory over Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

It was a tense encounter in a highly-charged atmosphere but Stokes, just as in the 50-over final in 2019, was there to guide England to a five-wicket victory.

England’s famous win in Rawalpindi

The first Test between England and Pakistan was incredible from start to finish. England scored 506 runs on day one – the most runs ever on the first day of a Test – with Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook all hitting centuries.

The flat pitch meant they had to battle hard but, after a brave declaration from captain Stokes, England won the match in the final moments of a dramatic fifth day as the sunlight faded.

Honourable mentions

So much has happened in 2022. Some of these moments were very unlucky not to have made our top 10.

• Bairstow’s century in Sydney: Jonny Bairstow hit a gutsy century from 36-4 to help England secure a draw in the fourth Ashes Test and avoid a series whitewash.
• The appointment of Brendon McCullum: The moment that sparked England’s Test turnaround? The New Zealander caught the eye from the start with his mentality and by speaking to the media for the first time as men’s Test coach in skinny jeans and ankle socks.
• England hit highest ODI score: England scored 498-4 against the Netherlands, breaking their own record for the highest score in one-day internationals.
• Overton’s 97 on debut. Having come in at 55-6, Jamie Overton scored 97 on debut at Headingley in a partnership of 241 with Bairstow. England would go on to win the Test against New Zealand.
• Cricket’s Commonwealth return: A women’s T20 competition saw cricket make its return to the Commonwealth Games for the first time since 1998. Australia were crowned champions, while England missed out on a medal.
• Ahmed’s five-wicket haul on debut: 18-year-old leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed became England’s youngest men’s Test cricketer and took 5-48 in the second innings of the third Test against Pakistan.

How would you rank the most memorable moments of 2022?

Now it’s your turn. Rank your top 10 moments in English cricket in 2022 below…