Main Character of Saturday, 27 June 2026

Ben Duckett is an opening batter for the England men's Test cricket team. He is known for his role at the top of the batting order and has been a key figure in England's recent cricket campaigns.

Duckett made headlines around 26–27 June 2026 following his century for England during the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. His hundred proved instrumental in England's fightback in the series-decider, helping drag the hosts back into contention after they had trailed New Zealand significantly. The match was played as day two of the Test, with England closing at 223–2, still 215 runs behind their opponents.

What made Duckett's performance particularly newsworthy was his revelation about the fitness work behind his recent form. He had lost approximately five or six kilograms since the previous Ashes series and credited a post-winter fitness regime—including a four-week bootcamp that took him away from nets—with his return to form. Duckett stated that shedding the weight had directly helped him accumulate runs, with his performance in the opening matches of the series foreshadowing the obvious form displayed during the New Zealand Test.

This century marked Duckett's first Test hundred in more than a year, representing a significant return to the form that England's management and supporters had been seeking from their opening batter.