ECB LAUNCHES NEW RED BALL CRICKET CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF EAGERLY ANTICIPATED ENGLAND MEN AND ENGLAND WOMEN TEST MATCHES

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today launched a new international men’s and women’s red ball cricket campaign, ‘It’s Called Test For A Reason’. It is timed to celebrate the long-form format throughout the international summer, including the eagerly anticipated England Men v New Zealand Men LV= Insurance Test Series, which starts on 2 June at Lord’s, the England Women v South Africa Women LV= Insurance Test Match at The Cooper Associates County Ground Taunton, starting 27 June and Men’s Test series against India and South Africa.

The new campaign shines a spotlight on the physical and mental preparation required to perform in one of the ultimate tests in sport. It is led by a special 60-second film, packed with iconic action, which draws parallels between the highs and lows of Test match cricket and the emotional journey of everyday life.

The film is complemented by a series of striking and evocative images showcasing members of the England Men’s and Women’s Test squads, including Ben Stokes, Heather Knight, Jimmy Anderson, Nat Sciver, Stuart Broad and Katherine Brunt.

England Men’s Test captain, Ben Stokes, said:

“It really is called a Test for a reason. Five days of intense cricket calls for immense preparation, skill and resilience to perform at your best throughout. The game ebbs and flows and forms rhythms that you need to be in tune with. And when you factor in it is just one of a series of matches it becomes one of the biggest challenges in sport.”

England Women’s Test captain, Heather Knight said:

“Test cricket is a format that truly tests you like no other. Some of my most memorable experiences as an international cricketer have come from Test cricket. The highs are high, and the lows are low. I’m really excited by the fact we’re seeing more women’s Test cricket in the calendar, we relish the opportunity to play more and we can’t wait to step out onto the field against South Africa in June to make new memories in one of the ultimate challenges in sport.”

Russell James, ECB Sales & Marketing Director said:

“The ECB are committed to celebrating all forms of cricket and ‘It’s Called Test For A Reason’ helps to illustrate just how absorbing and exhilarating the red ball format can be, for players and spectators alike. The campaign seeks to celebrate the positive assets of what is unique about Test Match cricket. The up-coming LV= Insurance Test Matches against New Zealand, India and South Africa will be a perfect showcase.”

The integrated marketing campaign has been developed by ECB's creative agency MATTA and media agency Threepipe Reply with the vision and production of the film brought to life by Knucklehead.

Out-of-home, digital and social channels will be maximised to reach fans, encouraging them to visit the ECB website and join ‘We Are England Cricket Supporters’ for free. This will enable fans to watch in-play clips and match highlights, and get priority access to buy 2023 International tickets (including The Men’s and Women’s Ashes) when they go on sale. Registered Supporters can also watch exclusive player content series, including ‘Matches That Made Me’, the first episode of which is released today and features Ben Stokes talking about the playing experiences that have shaped his career so far.

Matt Hunt, Executive Brand & Strategy Director for MATTA, said:

“Through ‘It’s Called Test For A Reason’ we wanted to engage a wider audience of fans by highlighting all that’s great about Test cricket, and how, in so many ways, it reflects the trials and tribulations we all face in modern-day life. We are excited to have brought this campaign to life in time for what promises to be an exhilarating summer of Test cricket.”

The England Men v New Zealand Men LV = Insurance Test Series starts at Lord’s on 2-6 June, then moves to Trent Bridge (10-14 June) and Headingley (23-27 June). The LV= Insurance Test Match between England Women and South Africa Women will be hosted at The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton (27-30 June).

England Men will then take on India Men at Edgbaston (1-5 July) before facing South Africa in a three-match LV= Insurance Test series with fixtures at Lord’s (17-21 August), Emirates Old Trafford (25-29 August) and The Kia Oval (8-12 September)

The 'It's Called Test for a Reason' film can be watched here.

For more information and tickets go to ecb.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

MATTA Production Credits

Client: ECB

Campaign: It's Called Test For A Reason

Production: Life's A Test

Film

Agency: MATTA

Executive Creative Director: Matt Campbell

Executive Production Director: Tom Allwood

Executive Brand & Strategy Director: Matt Hunt

Agency Producer: Mike Smith

Senior Brand & Strategy Manager: Terry Wong

Production: Knucklehead

Executive Producer: Ore Okonedo

Director: Hugh Rochfort

Producer: Jordi Estapé Monserrat

DOP: Tom Revington

Offline Edit: Marshall Street Editors

Editor: Owen O'Sullivan

Post Production Tagg

Post Producer: Jerome Danvers

Client

Sales & Marketing Director: Russell James

Head of Marketing: Rebecca Maskrey

Senior Marketing Manager: Chris Heasman

Photography

Photographer: Ryan Pierse

Agent: Getty