As summer truly kicks in, following on from a shocking May, we finally have the Test Match season underway. Late, due to the fixture schedule and the need for squishing the Test Matches in between the various franchise competitions and white ball slog fests that simultaneously seem to enhance and ruin the game, it felt great to sit down and watch what I could of the 1st Test at the stunningly beautiful Lords.
2 weeks on and we’re licking our wounds after a series defeat that shouldn’t have been so painful, had it not been for a missed opportunity and a familiar batting collapse that eclipsed even our greatest efforts.
Now, before we go any further, it’s important to note that New Zealand are an excellent side. Their conditions at home aren’t unlike ours and they’ve won an awful lot in New Zealand of late. This is why they’re in the Test Championship Final and why they’re currently consistently great in all formats. They’re such a good side that (like all Test Series), there is absolutely no way it should’ve been a 2 match series. 3/5 Test Match series should be the norm, regardless of the quality of the opposition. It felt wrong when we were struggling on day 4 of the 1st test that we were already fighting for survival in the series as a whole.
There was a lot of talk about us chasing New Zealand’s total on the final day of the 1st Test. For me I can see both sides of the argument. We didn’t really have the players to get a quick score, missing the likes of Buttler, Bairstow, Stokes etc, so I was unsurprised by our tentative approach, thus preventing a collapse and ensuring the draw. At the same time, why couldn’t we have given it a real go for 20-30 mins and if that failed, shut up shop? You sometimes need to read the room and I’m sure the Lords fans would’ve delighted in that kind of an effort, however the outcome. It became a little farcical towards the end when both teams decided to play right until the very end of day 5.
Despite the rights/wrongs of the decision making in the 1st Test, few will argue that the decision making of the England batsman in their capitulation is shocking and needs to be discussed and acted upon.
Firstly, let’s start with the selection process. Many have torn the England selectors (now Silverwood/Root) to shreds over it. For me personally, I don’t think the decision making was totally muddled. For the most part they selected the best players available to them. Some people question our lack of a spin option. We never really got to see whether or not this was a bad decision, due to our batting performance. I personally think that we should have chosen Ali. I also feel that Buttler should have played...which brings me on to my biggest issue with selection; why did we rest IPL players? Ali, Buttler, Woakes etc had over a month since the premature end of the tournament to spend with family and relax. I’ve understood since COVID that being in a bubble isn’t ideal for the players, so resting has made sense to me, despite opposition from others…but now it’s time to change.
As for the performance of our batsmen, there’s a lot to concern:
Burns played well in the 1st innings but played an uncharacteristic loose shot in the 2nd.
Sibley’s technique appears to be causing issues for him. He usually has some stickability but may need to change things to deserve a place in the England team.
Crawley has an average around 10 since his excellent 267. He plays some beautiful shots but then gets out cheaply.
Root is having another worrying dip in form. His superb 200+ scores against Sri Lanka seem like a distant memory. He’s the best we have and will turn his fortunes around soon enough.
Lawrence played decently, without setting the world alight. He’ll likely be replaced by Stokes for the 1st India Test.
Pope, for me, is worth sticking with. He’s young and is a class above most of our batsman already. He’s got out reasonably cheaply of late, but looked good doing it. He reminds me of Ian Bell/Joe Root and I feel he should be un-droppable
Bracey should never have been given the WK job. He has the potential to be in the team solely as a batsman, but 2 low scores will have dented his confidence. He will undoubtedly be replaced by Buttler for the 1st India Test
My next blog will go into more detail of who I would pick for that 1st Test against India. The important thing for me is that we don’t make rash decisions about the current England setup. I think that Silverwood/Root are the best options at present. We have rested players due to come back from the IPL wilderness and have players with niggly injuries. The current setup should only be discussed after the completion of the Ashes next year. Maybe then it’ll be new blood?…or time to celebrate an India/Australia double? Who am I kidding!
Finally, this isn’t a new feeling. We have a track record of batting collapses and the likes of Stokes, Root and Cook have protected us from humiliation on a number of occasions. Hopefully we can return to the sort of sturdy batting line-up Strauss, Cook, Trott, Bell, Pietersen offered, one day…just probably not today…and Lyth, Carberry, Ballance, Robson, Compton, Jennings and co. are proof enough that it’s a tricky business!
