Not a lot enthuses me these days. I’ve very much hit that grumpy old git stage of life. If you gave me a gift horse, the first thing I’d do is look at its teeth. And I’ve seen more young English batsman come and go than I’ve had cucumber sandwiches. Not a lot of them have got me excited.
However, I’m beginning to think that England have finally found a couple of young batting starlets worth watching. The first is Ollie Pope, who sadly didn’t trouble the scorers much this morning, and the second is Zak Crawley. And boy didn’t the latter play well today.
I’ve been keeping a close eye Zak since I saw him make a ton against Notts (including Darren Pattinson) last year on a tricky pitch at Tunbridge Wells. He was obviously highly gifted but I thought he might take a little time to get accustomed to the highest level. “Here’s one for the future” I thought “but I won’t expect much more than useful cameos at Test level until he matures a bit”.
Wrong! It seems that Zak is a very quick learner indeed. He impressed me in South Africa, and I enjoyed his other two half centuries for England this summer – his 70-odd against the Windies and his fifty in the dead game last week. However, I still thought it would take some time for him to (a) find the right tempo for Test cricket (I think he’s looked a tad frenetic at the crease in the past), and (b) make a match defining Daddy-hundred. He’s only 22-years old after all.
However, Zak has proved me wrong yet again. His hundred today at the Ageas Bowl was more than substantial. And he paced his innings absolutely perfectly. In fact, it was pretty much a flawless Test innings made against a decent attack in what were initially fairly testing conditions. Batting might have looked easy in the afternoon and evening sessions on a docile surface but it wasn’t easy going in the morning at all.
What impresses me most about Zak is that he’s got very good hands and pretty nimble feet (especially for a big man). What’s more, he utilises his long reach very effectively. He plays pace well, doesn’t get bogged down against the spinners, and plays all around the wicket off front foot and back. He’s really not an easy guy to bowl too.
Crawley also possesses a peachy back foot drive – which is the hardest shot in the book and a sign of genuine class – and he drives authoritatively off the front foot too. he’s also quick on the pull and strong off his legs. Have I just defined the ideal batsman?
But what about his defence? This is obviously the key to a long Test career. Well, it looked pretty solid today. He plays pretty straight, he left the ball well when he needed to, and his long legs give him the ability to get forward and negate some of the movement in the air and off the pitch.
I also loved how proactive he was at the crease today. He didn’t do anything reckless but looked to score whenever he could. He put the bowlers under pressure without really trying and his batting found a nice rhythm.
The most impressive thing, however, is that he’s still a work in progress – or at least he should be. He’s only played 44 first class games and his century today was just the fifth time he’s passed three figures as a professional player (three in the championship and one in the RLODC). I can’t explain how he’s become so good so quickly. The type of innings he complied today is usually the preserve of seasoned players who have honed their method over time.
Overall it’s hard not to be excited by Crawley. He looks the real deal. And it’s also a massive plus that he’s scoring runs at No.3. This has been a problem position for England for nigh on twenty years – either side of Jonathan Trott – plus it allows Root to come in at 4 where he’s far more effective.
Jos Buttler also played beautifully today. In fact, he’s currently going from strength to strength with the bat. He got off the mark with a piece of wonderful timing – a back foot poke through mid wicket that sped to the boundary in remarkable fashion – and he’s finally beginning to fulfil his obvious talent.
All I can say is fair play. I would’ve dropped Buttler two Tests ago and I still think Ben Foakes should be in the side. Perhaps Jos can forge a career as a batsman after all – although competition for places is now fierce.
Consistency, as always, will be the key for Jos moving forward as he’s had purple patches before but failed to back these up long-term. Indeed, today was two years to the day since he scored his last (and only) Test hundred.
However, Jos does seem a lot more confident now – which is strange because his keeping has generally been below par. Perhaps he has the ability to separate the two in his mind. If so then it’s a very useful ability to possess. I certainly wish Joe Root could separate the captaincy from his batting in the same way.
Either way, England are now in a fantastic position in this Test. Crawley and Buttler’s partnership has been an epic one. And a thoroughly enjoyable one to watch.
It feels nice to enjoy myself again. Perhaps I should try it more often?
James Morgan
Magnificent innings by Crawley, nailing down the no3 slot that has been a problem for England for much of my cricket following life.
I agree. I was seriously impressed by Crawley today, in a way that I’ve not been previously.
Very sensible innings from Buttler too, quite happy to be second fiddle during the afternoon.
Agreed. Buttler played in a very mature manner. He doesn’t try to be ‘the star’ even though he’s often been billed as such. He was quite happy to play second fiddle and not force it. I was impressed.
Jos plays spin very well. I’d possibly take him to India as a batsman if he doesn’t keep as he’s rarely flustered by slow bowling in the way some of our guys are. Yasir was made to look impotent.
I was at Tunbridge Wells last year as well and he looked a class apart as all of the other batsmen struggled in the 1st innings. James (not Darren!) Pattinson looked seriously rapid for Notts as well.
Ooops yes James Pattinson. Duh!
Graves’ interview at lunchtime was predictably excruciating, not so much for Graves himself but the powderpuff questioning from Ian Ward (Nasser Hussain threw in a slight barb about the grass roots but they rapidly moved on).
But then strategic partners don’t ask questions like “is departing with a third of the first-class counties facing extinction and seriously depleted cash reserves despite record profits a ringing triumph of your leadership?”.
This has been the trouble from the world go as the Sky boys, whatever their personal views, are not allowed to ask the questions we all want to, so that the ECB can squirm in its collective chair. Even the normally barbed Hussein is suitably reticent in order to keep his job with his cow towing employers.
Sky have the power to conduct a significant campaign for cricket’s soul, but as they are money driven with preferential coverage of tournaments like ‘The Hundred’ why risk alienating their golden goose.
Agree with you James about dropping Buttler a couple of tests ago, even purely as a batsman. Who knows the new encumbent behind the stumps might have made significant contributions as well. We have half a dozen potentially world class keepers and continue to operate with 3rd raters in what is probably the most important position in the team.
Good to see Buttler succeeding. He has obviously tried hard to adapt his batting to test cricket. Also good to see Archer back for the vastly overrated Curran. I think it’s fair to say Crawley has surprised everyone after his dropping for the first test but this only exaggerates what a tactical error it was to disturb the established top order, which had started to make the consistent first innings scores so vital to winning test matches, allowing Root to play at his preferred position. This endless tinkering with the batting order has been a major flaw in successive England set ups.
I quite agree. There was some discussion on TMS about what happens when Stokes comes back, one suggestion being we drop one of the openers . Absolute madness. We have a settled top four for the first time in a long time and, although I know there is no red ball cricket for a while, we should be looking to build on that foundation rather than destroy it. If only there was a way that Root could give up the captaincy and return to being, consistently, a world class Batsman…..
Good stuff from Crawley. Why didn’t play last time?
Foakes has been released to play for struggling Surrey. Not sure why that wasn’t done last Test. Presumably Pope is the cover for Butler. Actually Popes a better keeper than Butler, well most people are, so maybe Butler should be the cover for Pope. Don’t think Foakes will ever get in, but we’ll have him back at Surrey now he’s out of the England “bubble”. And do what a load of shite that is!
Looking at next 5 years the batting stable looks very healthy. With lawrence hain and maybe clarke also having talent to challenge there are lots of options to compliment what is starting to become an established top 6 or 7 when stokes comes back.
We have keepers coming out of our ears. Foakes bairstow bracey and billings.
All rounders aplenty. Woakes Curran Bess maybe Gregory.
Need some more young bowlers to emerge to compliment archer. Really hoping that mehmoud stones and J overton can start pulling up trees because these lads with the pace are needed if we are to win some away series and get back to no 1 in tests.
Leach bess parkinson virdi and root are enough options for sub continent cricket.
I think the future has not looked this bright for some time!
Wouldn’t call either Curran or Bess all rounders, except in the sense that they’re not good enough at either discipline to be called test cricketers. They’re Mr Ed’s funky bits and pieces forgetables.
Until Woakes last test heroics he couldn’t buy a run, so all rounders a plenty is dubious at best.
Have only just watched the highlights and have to say that Crawley – Buttler partnership is one of the best I’ve seen by englishmen in years. Barely false shot despite their positive run getting approach. They both looked confident to play their natural attacking games, especially not letting the spinners bowl at them and displayed good judgement as to when to show the decent bowling some respect.
Will say the Pakistan captain makes Root look good. I’d give the captaincy to their keeper, he looks a natural for the part. With an attack like his you can’t go on the defensive as often as he sets fields for. It reminds me of Gower’s ‘waiting for something to happen’ style of captaincy.