In a disjointed summer with the T20 World Cup in June, the Euros now dominating the conversation and the Olympics to come, Test cricket returns at last. It’s four months since England left behind the snow-tipped mountains of Dharamshala, a lengthy gap during which it feels the landscape and outlook for the team has changed considerably.
Brendon McCullum, Ben Stokes and Rob Key have made some big calls in the hiatus. This feels like a mini-reboot, in personnel rather than approach. James Anderson will be moved on after this week, not exactly of his own accord. Jonny Bairstow has been dropped, probably for good. Ollie Robinson, likewise. Ben Foakes and Jack Leach are nowhere to be seen.
Stokes and McCullum will not back away from the free-wheeling, attacking approach that has both beguiled and, at times, infuriated England supporters, but their position in the World Test Championship (WTC) table demands a little introspection, or, as McCullum termed it at the end of the India tour, “refinement”. They sit bottom of that table, ninth of nine, and a summer of six Tests against West Indies and Sri Lanka should allow some improvement in that regard.
For one or two, there has been a lengthy absence from first-class cricket. Ben Duckett, carrying drinks in the Caribbean, has not played a red-ball game since April 29, for example. Having played some of the early rounds of the championship, Joe Root and Zak Crawley did not play the two rounds that interrupted the T20 Blast, figuring time in the nets was better preparation than the championship — a telling decision.
Still, the batting has a familiar feel: Crawley and Duckett, the zany openers; Ollie Pope; Root and Harry Brook, back after missing the entirety of the India tour. It’s a settled line-up and it is hard to see much change ahead, although Pope could do with a good summer. He had a poor Ashes and a stop-start winter in India that included one brilliant, match-winning innings and not much else. In his past 19 Test innings, he has passed fifty only twice, but made 196 and 205 when he has done so.
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It’s the bowling where the selectors’ attention has been focused, hence the desire to move Anderson on. Why exactly, when he clearly feels he could continue? Two reasons: first, the Ashes, which are 18 months away and which Anderson — he would be 43 then — is unlikely to make; second, is the feeling that they need to find more cutting edge with the new ball. The last of Anderson’s 32 Test five-wicket hauls came in July 2022, 29 innings ago.
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So Gus Atkinson will make his debut here, while Dillon Pennington may come into the equation for the second Test when Anderson gives way. Atkinson has taken 14 championship wickets in five matches for Surrey this season, used as first, second and occasionally third change behind the likes of Kemar Roach, Dan Worrall and Sean Abbott. He is sharp and is likely to get more of a leading role this summer, although he may have to be patient at Lord’s, with Anderson and Chris Woakes having such exceptional records on the ground.
Atkinson is one of a number of bowlers who will be vying to make a permanent claim on the places vacated by Anderson and Stuart Broad. The Nottinghamshire seamer Josh Tongue, when fit again towards the end of the summer, will be another. For the likes of Sam Cook (Essex), Matthew Potts (Durham), John Turner (Hampshire), Pennington (Nottinghamshire) and Tongue, the next 12 months should offer up enticing opportunities.
The biggest fillip to the attack may come not from all this potential, though, but from the return of Stokes as a genuine all-rounder. Stokes looks very fit and has been bowling well for Durham in the championship, for whom he has taken 18 wickets in three games. In modern times, England have always been at their strongest when the team is balanced by a genuine all-rounder, whether that be Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff or Stokes.
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Stokes’s return as a bowler will ease the pressure on young Shoaib Bashir, who makes a first Test appearance at home. He looked to have a solid temperament in India and England see high potential there. “Potential” and a “high ceiling” are words and phrases often thrown around by England’s management and they see that same possibility in Jamie Smith, the new wicketkeeper-batsman from Surrey.
England must start as favourites against West Indies, although Kraigg Brathwaite’s side showed in Australia at the start of the year that you underestimate them at your peril. When they won a Test in Brisbane in January to level the series, on the back of an outstanding bowling effort from Shamar Joseph, they did more than England have managed to do in the past decade.
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It is bowling where West Indies’ strength lies, despite the absence through injury of Surrey’s Roach, the experienced and skilful swing bowler from Barbados. At least his injury saves Brathwaite from a tricky decision of who to leave out and the attack will now be led by the speedster from Antigua; Alzarri Joseph; Jayden Seales, who has enjoyed a fine stay with Sussex; the exciting Shamar Joseph and the experienced and steady Jason Holder.
There is wicket-taking potential there. Whether they will have enough runs to play with is the question. In the absence of players such as Shai Hope, whose career has pivoted towards franchise and T20 cricket, West Indies have a very inexperienced top order. Only Brathwaite, the dogged and diligent captain, has played more than a handful of Tests. Mikyle Louis has yet to be capped; Kirk McKenzie has played three Tests; Alick Athanaze has played four, and Kavem Hodge only two. It is asking a lot.
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Looking at that, Anderson will be licking his lips. The water table is high, after a wet winter, spring and early summer; the outfield is lush and the pitch is well-grassed. That feels a perfect scenario for Anderson, who warmed up for his farewell with a seven-wicket haul for Lancashire, and who needs nine wickets to pass Shane Warne and become the second-highest Test wicket-taker of all time.
“Incredible” and “amazing” were among the words Stokes used to describe Anderson in his pre-match press conference. With Broad and Anderson in the ranks, England captains have had it good for a long period of time. Quite how good, we are about to find out.
England team Z Crawley, B Duckett, O Pope, J Root, H Brook, B Stokes (capt), J Smith (wkt), C Woakes, G Atkinson, S Bashir, J Anderson.
West Indies team K Brathwaite (capt), M Louis, K McKenzie, A Athanaze, K Hodge, J Holder, J da Silva (wkt), G Motie, A Joseph, S Joseph, J Seales.
England v West Indies
First Test, Lord’s
Starts Wednesday, 11am
TV Sky Sports Cricket
