Kent’s 17-year-old ‘keeper-batter & Academy Scholar Ben Dawkins has been called up to England Under 19s’ squad for their Youth ODI Tri-Series against Ireland and Scotland.

He has been featuring for Kent’s Second XI since the 2023 season, and has played 15 times so far, including a score of 48 opening the batting against Zimbabwe A in a 50-Over match at The County Ground, Beckenham on 16 July.

Dawkins also scored 93 from 89 deliveries for England Young Lions against Sri Lanka in a one-day match back in June. He made his first appearance for a full Kent side in Kent Spitfires’ National County Match against Bedfordshire in July, finished six not out batting ‘at seven’ and taking a catch in the Spitfires’ 57-run victory.

He represented London & East Under 18s at the ECB’s Super 4s competition at Loughborough last month, scoring 134 against a Midlands side and 101 & 86 against South & West.

Other Kent prospects have featured in an ECB national set-up this year, with 18-year-old Jaydn Denly featuring for England U19s in the ICC Under 19s World Cup at the start of the year and their Youth Test series against Sri Lanka in July, scoring 91 in the second match. Another 18-year-old, Ekansh Singh, played in ECB’s Super 4s competition alongside Dawkins and also played regularly for the Kent Spitfires in the Metro Bank One Day Cup.

The Youth ODI Tri-Series will take place at Loughborough University between 11 & 18 September.

Richard Halsall will step in as Head Coach in the absence of Mike Yardy, who will be part of the England Men coaching team during the white-ball series against Australia.

Halsall said: “It has been really exciting to see the development of the Under-19s this summer. We’ve seen a host of the squad from the Sri Lanka series go on to play first-team cricket and that gives us an opportunity to expose more young players to international cricket in this series.

“I am really looking forward to taking over the reins as coach from Yards. We know we will need to compete from ball one against Ireland and Scotland and I am looking forward to seeing the squad show off their skills in this series.”

England Men U19s 16-player squad:

• Thomas Rew (Somerset – captain)
• Ralphie Albert (Surrey)
• Ben Dawkins (Kent)
• Seth Essenhigh (Worcestershire)
• Alex Green (Leicestershire)
• Byron Hatton-Lowe (Nottinghamshire)
• Joe Heywood (Somerset)
• Haider Hussain (Lancashire)
• James Isbell (Middlesex)
• Ben Mayes (Hampshire)
• James Minto (Durham)
• Harry Moore (Derbyshire)
• Joe Moores (Lancashire)
• Sebastian Morgan (Middlesex)
• Samarjeet Singh (Middlesex)
• Alex Wade (Yorkshire)

Youth ODI Tri-Series Schedule:

• England U19 v Ireland U19, Haslegrave, Loughborough University – Thursday 12 September (10.30am)
• England U19 v Scotland U19, Haslegrave, Loughborough University – Saturday 14 September (10.30am)
• England U19 v Ireland U19, Brockington, Loughborough University – Monday 16 September (10.30am)
• England U19 v Scotland U19, Brockington, Loughborough University – Wednesday 18 September (10.30am)

England Women will open the international Summer at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence on Wednesday 21 May, 2025!

This will be the third England Women International T20 match hosted at The Spitfire Ground, after England faced India in 2012 and most recently, New Zealand at a sold-out Spitfire Ground earlier this year.

Our ticket ballot for England Women vs. West Indies Women in Canterbury next Summer is now open:

Enter ticket ballot here

2025 Kent Members will have priority access to international tickets at The Spitfire Ground with no need to enter the ballot.