The England cricket team represented England, Scotland and Wales in Test cricket. Between 1920 and 1939, when competitive cricket was interrupted by the Second World War, England played 120 Test matches, resulting in 41 victories, 49 draws and 30 defeats. During this period, England faced India, New Zealand and the West Indies for the first time in Test cricket, having previously only played against Australia and South Africa. The emergence of Don Bradman as an extraordinary batsman for Australia led to England employing Bodyline tactics during the 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia. The tactic, which involved bowling fast deliveries aimed at the batsman, created antagonism between the two teams. The England team of the era featured some of the country's best batsmen; Jack Hobbs, Wally Hammond and Len Hutton were all included in the Cricinfo "all-time England XI" in 2009.

England faced Australia most frequently during this period—playing 49 matches against them—followed by South Africa. England won more matches than they lost against every team except Australia, against whom they won 15 matches and lost 22. They did not lose any matches against newcomers India or New Zealand, while against the West Indies they won 8 matches and lost 3. England won 14 matches by an innings, with their largest victory being by an innings and 579 runs against Australia during the 1938 Ashes series, the largest margin of victory by any team in Test cricket. Their largest victory by runs alone during this period was in the 1928–29 Ashes series against Australia, when they won by 675 runs, which is also an all-time record for any team, while they won by ten wickets on two occasions. Conversely, England suffered their largest defeat by runs alone, losing to Australia by 562 runs during the 1934 Ashes series, which ranks behind England's 675 runs victory as the second highest margin of victory by runs.

Key + Key Symbol Meaning No. (Eng.) Match number for England (i.e. 150 was England's 150th Test match) No. (Ove.) Match number overall (i.e. 150 was the 150th Test match) Opposition The team England was playing against Venue The cricket ground where the match was played (H) Home ground (A) Away ground Start date Starting date of the Test match Result Result of the match for England Series (result) What series the match was part of, with the result listed in brackets;England's tally first (i.e. (2–1) means that England won two matches, and their opponents won one match)

Matches + England Test cricket results between 1920 and 1939 No.(Eng.) No.(Ove.) Opposition Venue Start Date Result Series (result) 124 135 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (A) 17 December 1920 1920–21 Ashes series (0–5) 125 136 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (A) 31 December 1920 126 137 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (A) 14 January 1921 127 138 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (A) 11 February 1921 128 139 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (A) 25 February 1921 129 140 Trent Bridge, Nottingham (H) 28 May 1921 1921 Ashes series (0–3) 130 141 Lord's, London (H) 11 June 1921 131 142 Headingley, Leeds (H) 2 July 1921 132 143 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 23 July 1921 133 144 The Oval, London (H) 13 August 1921 134 148 Old Wanderers, Johannesburg (A) 23 December 1922 English cricket team in South Africa in 1922–23 (2–1) 135 149 Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town (A) 1 January 1923 136 150 Kingsmead, Durban (A) 18 January 1923 137 151 Old Wanderers, Johannesburg (A) 9 February 1923 138 152 Kingsmead, Durban (A) 16 February 1923 139 153 Edgbaston, Birmingham (H) 14 June 1924 South African cricket team in England in 1924 (3–0) 140 154 Lord's, London (H) 28 June 1924 141 155 Headingley, Leeds (H) 12 July 1924 142 156 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 26 July 1924 143 157 The Oval, London (H) 16 August 1924 144 158 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (A) 19 December 1924 1924–25 Ashes series (1–4) 145 159 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (A) 1 January 1925 146 160 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (A) 16 January 1925 147 161 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (A) 13 February 1925 148 162 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (A) 27 February 1925 149 163 Trent Bridge, Nottingham (H) 12 June 1926 1926 Ashes series (1–0) 150 164 Lord's, London (H) 26 June 1926 151 165 Headingley, Leeds (H) 10 July 1926 152 166 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 24 July 1926 153 167 The Oval, London (H) 14 August 1926 154 168 Old Wanderers, Johannesburg (A) 24 December 1927 English cricket team in South Africa in 1927–28 (2–2) 155 169 Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town (A) 31 December 1927 156 170 Kingsmead, Durban (A) 21 January 1928 157 171 Old Wanderers, Johannesburg (A) 28 January 1928 158 172 Kingsmead, Durban (A) 4 February 1928 159 173 Lord's, London (H) 23 June 1928 West Indian cricket team in England in 1928 (3–0) 160 174 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 21 July 1928 161 175 The Oval, London (H) 11 August 1928 162 176 Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane (A) 30 November 1928 1928–29 Ashes series (4–1) 163 177 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (A) 14 December 1928 164 178 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (A) 29 December 1928 165 179 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (A) 1 February 1929 166 180 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (A) 8 March 1929 167 181 Edgbaston, Birmingham (H) 15 June 1929 South African cricket team in England in 1929 (2–0) 168 182 Lord's, London (H) 29 June 1929 169 183 Headingley, Leeds (H) 13 July 1929 170 184 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 27 July 1929 171 185 The Oval, London (H) 17 August 1929 172 186 Lancaster Park, Christchurch (A) 10 January 1930 English cricket team in New Zealand in 1929–30 (1–0) 173 187 Kensington Oval, Bridgetown (A) 11 January 1930 English cricket team in the West Indies in 1929–30 (1–1) 174 188 Basin Reserve, Wellington (A) 24 January 1930 English cricket team in New Zealand in 1929–30 (1–0) 175 189 Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain (A) 1 February 1930 English cricket team in the West Indies in 1929–30 (1–1) 176 190 Eden Park, Auckland (A) 14 February 1930 English cricket team in New Zealand in 1929–30 (1–0) 177 191 Eden Park, Auckland (A) 21 February 1930 178 192 Bourda, Georgetown (A) 21 February 1930 English cricket team in the West Indies in 1929–30 (1–1) 179 193 Sabina Park, Kingston (A) 3 April 1930 180 194 Trent Bridge, Nottingham (H) 13 June 1930 1930 Ashes series (1–2) 181 195 Lord's, London (H) 27 June 1930 182 196 Headingley, Leeds (H) 11 July 1930 183 197 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 25 July 1930 184 198 The Oval, London (H) 16 August 1930 185 200 Old Wanderers, Johannesburg (A) 24 December 1930 English cricket team in South Africa in 1930–31 (0–1) 186 202 Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town (A) 1 January 1931 187 204 Kingsmead, Durban (A) 16 January 1931 188 206 Old Wanderers, Johannesburg (A) 13 February 1931 189 207 Kingsmead, Durban (A) 21 February 1931 190 209 Lord's, London (H) 27 June 1931 New Zealand cricket team in England in 1931 (1–0) 191 210 The Oval, London (H) 29 July 1931 192 211 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 15 August 1931 193 219 Lord's, London (H) 25 June 1932 Indian cricket team in England in 1932 (1–0) 194 220 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (A) 2 December 1932 1932–33 Ashes series (4–1) 195 221 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (A) 30 December 1932 196 222 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (A) 13 January 1933 197 223 The Gabba, Brisbane (A) 10 February 1933 198 224 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (A) 23 February 1933 199 225 Lancaster Park, Christchurch (A) 24 March 1933 English cricket team in New Zealand in 1932–33 (0–0) 200 226 Eden Park, Auckland (A) 31 March 1933 201 227 Lord's, London (H) 24 June 1933 West Indian cricket team in England in 1933 (2–0) 202 228 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 22 July 1933 203 229 The Oval, London (H) 12 August 1933 204 230 Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai (A) 15 December 1933 English cricket team in India in 1933–34 (2–0) 205 231 Eden Gardens, Calcutta (A) 5 January 1934 206 232 M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai (A) 10 February 1934 207 233 Trent Bridge, Nottingham (H) 8 June 1934 1934 Ashes series (1–2) 208 234 Lord's, London (H) 22 June 1934 209 235 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 6 July 1934 210 236 Headingley, Leeds (H) 20 July 1934 211 237 The Oval, London (H) 18 August 1934 212 238 Kensington Oval, Bridgetown (A) 8 January 1935 English cricket team in the West Indies in 1934–35 (1–2) 213 239 Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain (A) 24 January 1935 214 240 Bourda, Georgetown (A) 14 February 1935 215 241 Sabina Park, Kingston (A) 14 March 1935 216 242 Trent Bridge, Nottingham (H) 15 June 1935 South African cricket team in England in 1935 (0–1) 217 243 Lord's, London (H) 29 June 1935 218 244 Headingley, Leeds (H) 13 July 1935 219 245 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 27 July 1935 220 246 The Oval, London (H) 17 August 1935 221 252 Lord's, London (H) 27 June 1936 Indian cricket team in England in 1936 (2–0) 222 253 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 25 July 1936 223 254 The Oval, London (H) 15 August 1936 224 255 The Gabba, Brisbane (A) 4 December 1936 1936–37 Ashes series (2–3) 225 256 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (A) 18 December 1936 226 257 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (A) 1 January 1937 227 258 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (A) 29 January 1937 228 259 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (A) 26 February 1937 229 260 Lord's, London (H) 26 June 1937 New Zealand cricket team in England in 1937 (1–0) 230 261 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 24 July 1937 231 262 The Oval, London (H) 14 August 1937 232 263 Trent Bridge, Nottingham (H) 10 June 1938 1938 Ashes series (1–1) 233 264 Lord's, London (H) 24 June 1938 234 265 Headingley, Leeds (H) 22 July 1938 235 266 The Oval, London (H) 20 August 1938 236 267 Old Wanderers, Johannesburg (A) 24 December 1938 English cricket team in South Africa in 1938–39 (1–0) 237 268 Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town (A) 31 December 1938 238 269 Kingsmead, Durban (A) 20 January 1939 239 270 Old Wanderers, Johannesburg (A) 18 February 1939 240 271 Kingsmead, Durban (A) 3 March 1939 241 272 Lord's, London (H) 24 June 1939 West Indian cricket team in England in 1939 (1–0) 242 273 Old Trafford, Manchester (H) 22 July 1939 243 274 The Oval, London (H) 19 August 1939

Summary Team Total matches Home matches Away matches Mat Won Lost Draw W/L Mat Won Lost Draw W/L Mat Won Lost Draw W/L Australia 49 15 22 12 0.681 24 4 8 12 0.500 25 11 14 0 0.785 India 7 5 0 2 – 4 3 0 1 – 3 2 0 1 – New Zealand 12 3 0 9 – 6 2 0 4 – 6 1 0 5 – South Africa 35 10 5 20 2.000 15 5 1 9 5.000 20 5 4 11 1.250 West Indies 17 8 3 6 2.666 9 6 0 3 – 8 2 3 3 0.666 Total 120 41 30 49 1.366 58 20 9 29 2.222 62 21 21 20 1.000

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References