England will continue to stick to their attacking mode for the upcoming New Zealand Test series, but Zac Crowley and Ollie Pope shouldn’t get too comfortable, says Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain.
Vice-captain Pope struggled in England’s 2-1 defeat by Pakistan last month, averaging 11 and scoring a top score of 29, while Crowley failed to build on his 78 from the first innings in the opener in Multan.
England have included Warwickshire all-rounder Jacob Bethel in their squad for the three-Test tour of New Zealand, with Jamie Smith set to miss the trip due to the birth of his first child, meaning Jordan Cox will continue in the competition.
“England have picked very well. People, random picks, have come in over the last two years and they have all done very well and look like very good cricketers,” said Hussain, speaking on stage. Sky Sports Cricket podcast.
“You didn’t look at any of them and think, ‘Well, why did England pick him?’
“They all looked good and performed right away. But will they ever come back?
“It can’t be a closed shop. I’d like to keep pushing Crowley and Pope. “You know what? Keaton Jennings is getting some runs or (Hasib) Hamid is getting some runs now or Rory Burns is getting some runs.”
“Your place is not given forever.”
After England’s series defeat to Pakistan, captain Ben Stokes defended his top-class batsmen, saying they were the best in the country but Hussain and Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton asked if that meant there wasn’t enough talent.
“Going back to the Bethell selection, you can look at it two ways. You could say this is the superstar of the future that they’re absolutely betting the house on,” Atherton added.
“They think he’s going to be a fantastic player and they’re going to be judged on that. And they might be right. A lot of them have been really good.
“But you can also say, well, if they have to pick someone who averages 25 after 20 first-class games and hasn’t scored a first-class hundred, what else is there?”
Please use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
We look back at Pope’s struggles in Pakistan as he averaged 11 in the series with a best score of 29.
England’s previous gambles on youngsters such as Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir have paid off with Pakistan’s established spinners, and Bethel is the next to impress the selectors.
“When Rob Kee (England Men’s Cricket chief executive) announced the list of 29 central contracted players, he said it shows the depth of red and white ball cricket we have in the country,” Atherton added.
“What’s the depth in terms of first-class batting if the next cab out is a record like Bethel’s. Maybe that’s another shot at them coming out.”
“Are they going to stick to the type of cricket they’re looking for or are they going to say no, well, we’re willing to go the other way.
“Actually, I really like what they’re doing, they have a clear vision of what they want.
“I don’t think it has to be one-size-fits-all because I think the beauty of Test cricket is that it encourages and allows all types to flourish. But I like the fact that they clearly understand that what are they looking for?
Atherton. Multi-year center contracts don’t keep players hungry
Ollie Robinson has taken 76 wickets at an average of 22.92 in 20 Tests since arriving in the summer of 2021.
The England and Wales Cricket Board released a list of renewed central contracts for the men’s cricket team this week, with Ben Fuchs and Ollie Robinson notable omissions.
However, Smith was among the players to sign central contracts for the first time, alongside Surrey’s Will Jacks, Somerset’s Bashir, Lancashire’s Phil Salt and Nottinghamshire’s Olly Stone.
Bethell and Leicestershire’s Josh Hull also joined Hampshire’s John Turner in agreeing England development contracts for the first time.
Meanwhile, England captains Stokes and Jos Buttler have signed two-year contract extensions.
“I don’t like multi-year contracts. I think the sport moves so fast and you want to keep players and keep them hungry,” Atherton said.
Meanwhile, Kay believes the multi-year deals show the commitment of all players to prioritize playing for their country.
“Why does he feel he has to sign two-year deals? Probably because of the appeal and allure of franchise cricket,” Hussain said.
“There are so many opportunities for players to ride off into the franchise sunset and he feels he has to control, especially fast bowlers like Mark Wood.
“He could have called their bluff and just offered a year and see what they do and it keeps you hungry, a one-year deal.
“Maybe missing Ollie Robinson will be a wake-up call for him. His stats are absolutely phenomenal.
“I know he disappoints people, but I don’t know, I’ll be very disappointed if he doesn’t play for England again. I think he’s very talented.”
England test tour of New Zealand
- Warm game vs NZ Cricket XI. November 23-24 (Queenstown)
- First test. November 28-December 2 (Christ Church)
- Second test. December 6-10 (Wellington)
- Third test. December 14-18 (Hamilton)
