As I write this we await what will be the final days play and barring a miracle an inevitable series loss for England. Congratulations to the Windies, well deserved and thanks again for coming to us during covid – you deserve better from world cricket.
What have we learned?
Collingwood has done a decent job and is a good man. I wouldn’t completely rule him out of this role going forward, although I’d argue that Gary Kirsten and Alec Stewart both have something to bring in the Director of Cricket and Head Coach positions.
Root is a great bloke, a phenomenal batsman and has become a reliable slip fielder and useful offspinner. He has in my view never been a natural captain on the field, he relies on a formula that is preconceived and seems completely unable to read the game. He also has been part to a number of selection blunders. I felt strongly that Broad was the man when Root was first appointed, now time to let Stokes lead.
For many of this group the difficult question is, what are they bringing to the team? Lees looks no better than any of those tried already. Leach has bowled a lot of economic overs, but a strike rate of 103 says it all. Foakes, one of my favourite players has not had the impact I’d hoped or expected on either side of the stumps. Overton is still bowling at 80mph and extracts very little movement despite several ECB pace bowling camps. The experienced duo of Woakes and Bairstow have also fallen short, Woakes not surprisingly. Bairstow is another of my favourites but he has not made the impact he should since his century.
The issue for me with the 5 players listed above is that they are all 28-32 years old and I cannot see them really improving a great deal. For a professional cricketer age 24, 25, 26 is not actually that young, if we think in a four year cycle players will be 28-30 and in their prime if they are given the opportunity to learn.
For example, we have a 25 year old leg spin bowler striking every 50 balls at an economy rate under 3 runs per over … must be worth a look given that he been on 3 winter tours?
Parkinson might not succeed, but he might. Mahmood has been a rare bright spot, he looks to be a real find for England yet he and Parkinson were on the 2019 tour to New Zealand.
Reverting to the batting, Crawley, Lawrence and the dropped Pope all clearly have ability. On the flat pitches of the first two tests they at time looked very good. All are 24 years old and therefore worth persevering with, but this is not time for an arm around the shoulder.
Crawley identified when he got his 100 that he had put away the ‘big drive’, yet he has got out to it each time he has batted since. They need to be ruthless and disciplined (maybe they know they’ll play another test in 5min, Windies don’t so are more ruthless).
Ollie Robinson, Ollie Stone and Mark Wood are all very good bowlers but at age 28 + with many fitness issues will they be around in 2, 3 , 4 years? If not then let the Mahmood’s get experience now.
Its been a very frustrating winter, the reality is that the first 2 tests could’ve/should’ve been won with the correct bowling unit. Strike rate is far more important than economy rate. Taking wickets slows down the runs, to end this series with Matt Parkinson not having a test cap is criminal. I bet he’d clean up tail ends easily!
In this third test the issue is firmly with the batsmen. Its true that Windies go too many runs, but actually had the umpires got it right/Root had a review left then Mahmood would’ve had another wicket and the lead would be only 46.
So where do we go next? My solution is radical, and in reality it wont happen, but here it is:
The average age of the team is 26, the next home ashes is 12 months away (7 home tests, and perhaps the same over the winter).
Crawley and Sibley have 2 test centuries each, Sibley has worked very hard to get side on and looks a lot better. For Crawley it is all about shot selection and game awareness.
Joe Clarke is the one batsman outside of the test team who has a consistent record of scoring 100’s, get him up to 3 at Notts and let him play. Root can revert to 4 where he is most comfortable, Lawrence has earned the right to a middle order run. Finally Stokes can drop down one place to allow him more time between innings as captain.
Pope is a controversial pick as keeper. He actually looks tidy behind the stumps, and averages 50 in first class cricket. He has just turned 24 and would be an incredible asset at 7 in a team that needs runs.
The bowling is led by Archer and Mahmood, two close friends and excellent bowlers. Both are quick enough to take the pitch out of the equation when relevant, and to exploit it when its offering something.
My wild card is George Garton, his is a good bowler and with his left arm angle offers something different. Like Mahmood he is quick enough and can reverse swing the old ball. The final bowler is Parkinson, he spins it hard and will be a handful.
If we are going to reset, lets have a radical reset and play cricket on good pitches too!