6 wins and 1 loss from 7 tests is a great effort for the Rob Key, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes era. They have done a fantastic job of entertaining as they aimed to do.
The selection has been consistent, 16 players (including a concussion substitute) have been used across 7 tests. Parkinson, Brook, Billings and Overton each played only once when covering for others who were injured.
The Winter tour will provide a slightly different challenge, they will need to bat longer in the first innings and they are likely to need 2 spinners in the XI and 3 in the squad.
They will need one less seam bowler, and I suspect that Stuart Broad will give way. Broad has had a good summer but my instinct is that he will winter at home, he is due to become a father for the first time at the end of 2022.
Spin:
We know that Jack Leach will travel with squad this winter, and he has generally performed well when the pitch has offered some assistance.
Who will travel with Jack is an interesting one; Moeen and Adil Rashid are perhaps the favourites as they are both experienced cricketers and offer different types/styles of spin bowling … although that fact is offset by the fact that I don’t think either have bowled a ball in first class cricket in 2022.
Matt Parkinson played some test cricket as a concussion sub, the online judge, jury and executioners decided that he bowled too slowly. I think that we need a larger sample size, he clearly has ability and the Stokes/McCullum era is perhaps the best chance he will ever get to feel backed.
Liam Patterson-White was picked for the Lions this year, he bowls left arm spin with a strong action that sees him get drift and dip. His home ground is Trent Bridge, so he does not get the assistance Parkinson does. He fits the more archetypal English spinner in that he is a good fielder and good enough to bat at no8.
Sadly neither Mason Crane or Amir Virdi have been seen this summer, both have missed out to batting allrounders Dawson and Jacks and thus they have regressed rather than progressed.
My inclination is that Leach will be supported by Moeen and then one of Parkinson or Patterson-White will go on tour, although there is a strong argument for taking both Parkinson and LPW as they are playing first class cricket regularly.
Top Order:
With the batting shorn of the outstanding Jonny Bairstow there is some room for manoeuvre. No 4 and 6 are settled and Harry Brook appears likely to benefit from a run in the side.
Zac Crawley has had a torrid summer with the bat, although he has ended it on a relative high and has developed into an excellent slip catcher. I suspect there will be much less lateral movement with a new ball and I believe he will be given the chance to cement his place.
Ollie Pope has had a decent summer, scoring runs at key times and being electric in the close catching positions. He too looks set to benefit from a run in the side in slightly easier batting conditions.
Alex Lees I feel may be less fortunate, he has at times looked excellent and at times less so. He does not add anything spectacular in the field and will certainly come under pressure in the selection meeting.
Dom Sibley with his technique returned to side on is worthy of consideration, he has shown he has the temperament already. Tom Haines is an impressive player who could or maybe should tour this winter.
Dan Lawrence is a must for me, he was unfortunate to pick up a hamstring injury at the start of the season and whilst I can see why Brook leap frogged him, I am less clear how or why Duckett did. Lawrence’s 91 in the Caribbean was exactly the selfless type of knock that Stokes wants form his players. He’d be my no5 in the absence of Bairstow.
Seam bowling:
Assuming Broad does not tour, I can see Anderson, Robinson and Potts being on the plane. I’m not sure that either Mark Wood or Archer will be deemed fit enough for test cricket, both look set to play white ball in the short term.
The two names who can add pace and reverse swing are Saqib Mahmood and Luke Wood. The former’s fitness remains unknown, but if it can be proven he would be a certainty. The latter perhaps needs a leap of faith, but his performances in front of the big crowds and TV were note worthy … a bit like a left arm version of Darren Gough!
Winter Squad of 16: (assuming Bairstow and Broad are not available)
- Stokes (c)
- Haines, Crawley, Sibley
- Pope, Root, Lawrence, Brook
- Foakes (w), Billings (w)
- Leach, Parkinson, Patterson-White
- Anderson, Robinson, Potts, Mahmood/L Wood.
I have seen the idea floated that Harry Brook could open, he did as a youngster and plays pace well. It would be a little bit of a leap, but not one that is completely outrageous. There are numerous examples, not least Gibbs, Sehwag and Rohit who have successfully stepped up to open.
There is also a vague suggestion that Anderson might not tour. I can’t see this myself, he was furious to miss out last winter and he has been exceptional. We seem to have put an end to the rest and rotation nonsense. I suspect the player to miss out (from my list) will be Saqib Mahmood simply due to his lack of cricket. There is a Lions Tour in early 2023 and a test series in New Zealand, I think Mahmood will aim to get fit for that tour and one of the spinners will make way in the 16.