For all the skills shown by the Test players England have introduced recently, it is their composure that has been most impressive.
I am talking about Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Jacob Bethell out in New Zealand, and Jamie Smith on paternity leave at home.
While India and Australia have aging players, England has introduced a group of talented young cricketers and they are making good selections.
During the Bazball era, most players have proved their worth, even those who were unexpected choices. The two fast bowlers, in particular, have been outstanding.
Atkinson has had an exceptional year in international cricket, achieving two five-wicket hauls on debut, taking 12 wickets in a match, scoring a hundred at Lord’s, and now completing a hat-trick. It’s truly remarkable.
He looks to the manner born. From the moment he came in, he’s shown a real calmness.
Brydon Carse is a fighter and will relish the chance to impress against Australia
Darren Gough always produced his best against Australia as he showed great character
Gus Atkinson has enjoyed a remarkable year in international cricket as he’s showed his quality
Even when he takes a wicket, he doesn’t over celebrate, almost as an indication that this is the level at which he should be playing.
Carse has been the find of the winter. In Pakistan, on some turgid, soulless pitches for seamers, he defied cramp to generate top speeds and showed great heart. He kept running in, banging the ball down and being the enforcer.
Now he’s dismissed any notion that he’s a one-dimensional bowler. We knew he had aggression and pace, but could he show skill as well? He has absolutely done that, and then some, in both Tests in New Zealand, taking 16 wickets to help England win the series.
He will need all those facets as a pace bowler in Australia when England contest the Ashes next winter because of the heat, the flat pitches and the Kookaburra ball. There will be periods when nothing is happening. It’s not swinging, it’s not seaming, it’s not reverse swinging.
If an Australia partnership is building, England are going to need someone who’s up for the battle, who’s got a bit of ticker, who enjoys doing the hard yards, relishes the third spell.
Why do you think Darren Gough produced his best against Australia? He was up for it. He had that fight, that character, bowled a heavy ball, enjoyed being centre stage.
All those things go into being a decent cricketer when it comes to playing against the Australians. If young Bethell is thrust into his first Ashes battle, what will he be like? Forget the skill. There’s a skill element and a technique element. His comments this week said a lot about him: ‘Pretty much every time I’ve played against better people, I’ve played better. Straight into internationals, played better.’
It’s quite a story how composed he’s looked batting at No 3.
The jury is still out on the performances Chris Woakes produces away from home
My old mate Graham Thorpe, another left-hander, always said that if you want to be successful at international level, you need to be able to play the short ball. To cut and pull.
It’s a small sample size of two Tests, but it looks like Bethell does just that, picking up length really well.
The jury is still out on Chris Woakes away from home. I know he bowled well in this game, but the Wellington pitch was a green seamer that did quite a bit, and Australia is a different ball game. You would like one of those fiery fast bowlers, Mark Wood or Jofra Archer, to be fit.
Yes, the first series win in New Zealand for 16 years has been impressive, but now is not the time to get giddy. It is important for England not to look beyond the next game. Then it’s the home Test against Zimbabwe, before two massive series against India and Australia.
