Cricket Crumpet (we know, we know...)
Got Ashes fever? Here's the 25 hottest cricketers to have ever graced the cricket pitch
Picture Editing: Sandra Waibl
PA PhotosSteve Finn
English cricketer Steve Finn, or “Finny” as he’s otherwise known, is 6ft 8in of lean, toned muscle. When he’s not bowling at the opposition, he can be found enthusiastically tweeting to his 167K followers. The way to his heart? A cup of tea and Fox's extra chocolatey chocolate chunk biscuits.
PA PhotosStuart Broad
Cricketers don’t come much hotter than Stuart Christopher John Broad. The 27-year-old has a luscious mob of blonde hair and stands at 6ft 5in. He’s rumoured to have briefly dated Mollie King but as far as we can tell cricket is the only love he has at the moment.
PA PhotosMichael Vaughan
You won’t see Michael Vaughan on the pitch anymore but you’re likely to recognise his Yorkshire drawl in the commentary box. In the mid-Noughties, he was the champion of the cricket set after reclaiming the Ashes from Australia but his main focus is now home life, with wife Nichola and their three children.
PA PhotosAlastair Cook
What with his chiselled jaw and dark eyes, we think Alastair Cook shows more than a passing resemblance to Man of Steel himself, Henry Cavill. Unfortunately for us, the England captain is off-limits, having married his childhood sweetheart Alice Hunt in 2011.
PA PhotosKevin Pietersen
Known for being a bit of a rebel and his unusual haircuts (in the 2005 Ashes he rocked a peroxide blond streak), South-Africa-born Kevin Pietersen is rarely out of the cricketing headlines. The Australians nicknamed him “The Ego” and "FIGJAM" (Fuck I'm Good, Just Ask Me) but we suspect that’s because he’s such a menace with a bat. He’s married to Liberty X singer Jessica Taylor, with whom he has a son Dylan.
PA PhotosFreddie Flintoff
When former Ashes champ Freddie Flintoff made the transition for bat and ball to boxing ring, we worried – what about his beautiful face? Thankfully it’s very much intact and you can watch it on Sky1 on the game show A League Of Their Own where he’s a team captain.
PA PhotosImran Khan
Politician, humanitarian, celebrity and cricketer, Pakistani star Imran Khan has done it all, and with panache. In 1995, he famously married socialite Jemima Khan and the glamorous pair were regulars at parties across the globe until their divorce in 2004. Their split hasn’t diminished the glitz surrounding Imran and there’s even been a film made of his life in Pakistan.
PA PhotosShahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi’s piercingly dark eyes and aggressive batting style have made him a hit on and off the cricket field in his native Pakistan. Sorry ladies, Shahid’s off limits – he’s married to wife Nadia and has four daughters.
PA PhotosAlex Loudon
You might recognise Alex Loudon’s name from the gossip magazines. That’s because as well as being a former England cricketer, he’s also dated Pippa Middleton. Since retiring from the competitive game, he’s started working in the City.
PA PhotosJames Anderson
What with his penchant for changing hairstyles, designer clothes, not to mention obvious good looks, James Anderson has been described as the David Beckham of the cricketing world. Just like Becks, though, James is well & truly taken; he married model Daniella Lloyd in 2006.
PA PhotosMichael Clarke
Whether he’s scoring runs or not, Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has a winning smile. He’s a fan of tattoos, fishing and his glamorous wife Kyly Boldy, an Australian TV presenter.
PA PhotosShane Warne
Shane Warne may not be classically good-looking but the man credited with being one of the greatest bowlers in history has no shortage of female admirers. Indeed, his infidelities inspired Australian singer Kevin Bloody Wilson’s music video The Shane Warne Song. Perhaps fiancée Elizabeth Hurley will be the woman to tame him?
PA PhotosKim Hughes
Back in the 1980s, Kim Hughes was Australia’s golden boy. The former captain was affable with the press, a demon with a bat and had a head of lovely, blond curls.
PA PhotosSir Vivian Richards
One of the greatest cricketers of all-time, West Indian cricketer Sir Vivian Richards’ amazing batsmanship was only matched by his easy smile and relaxed demeanour, making him a favourite amongst the crowds (especially the ladies).
PA PhotosBrian Lara
No one can deny that the legendary Brian Lara had style: whether it was batting his opposition into submission on the cricket field, or charming the beautiful models who he dated.
PA PhotosDenis Compton
Denis Compton was the original playboy cricketer. He was married three times (remember this was the 30s) and was the first British sportsman to make a substantial living from sponsorship, counting Brylcreem among his endorsements. As well as all this, he managed to fit in a career as a footballer, playing for Arsenal for 15 years.
PA PhotosDavid Gower
Trust us, former English cricket captain David Gower’s curly locks were the height of fashion circa 1980.
PA PhotosVirat Kohli
Little is known about Virat Kohli’s personal life – but that just makes him all the more attractive. The 5ft 9in Indian cricketer is rumoured to be dating model Izabelle Leite. Watch this space.
PA PhotosShane Watson
Australian all-rounder Shane Watson is one of the buffest cricketers around at the moment. Don’t take our word for it, just look at this photo.
PA PhotosChris Gayle
Cricketers don’t come much cooler than Chris Gayle. The Jamaican star, who’s rarely spotted without his trademark sunglasses, has actually been accused of being too chilled out on the field.
PA PhotosSimon Jones
Simon Jones is no stranger to Sexiest Men lists (his incredible six pack might have something to do with it), but since becoming a dad, he’s got a new perspective on life. You can follow him on Twitter and see for yourself.
PA PhotosMahendra Singh Dhoni
If power is your aphrodisiac than Mahendra Singh Dhoni might be the man for you. He’s the current Indian captain, one of the highest paid athletes in the world and has a bit of a mischievous side. He also has a wife - Sakshi Singh Rawat, who he married in 2010.
PA PhotosDale Steyn
South African Dale Steyn has a passionate temperament that’s only matched by his skilful bowling (he’s number one in the world, don’t you know). He likes playing the guitar, good food and his girlfriend, actress Jeanne Kietzmann.
PA PhotosMitchell Johnson
We were quite smitten with Australia bowler Mitchell Johnson – until we found out he was a fan of bad haircuts and had a wife who's a former karate black belt. Ouch!
PA PhotosBrett Lee
Like your cricketers with a bit of rock ‘n’ roll? Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee may well be your man. He’s part of band Six & Out and had a hit with, appropriately, You’re The One For Me. He also advertises Weet-Bix so you’ll never be short of cereal come breakfast-time.
