That England clinched the Test series at Chester-le-Street was never in doubt. After the cringeworthy circus at Headingley, the neutral could at least revel in Sri Lanka’s ability to prolong the second match agony into a fourth day. However, it’s sad that the tourists are no longer able to provide a decent challenge to a buoyant England. Angelo Mathews is a magnificent cricketer, as his 2015 stats demonstrate. However, not even he can carry his nation’s batting, bowling, fielding and decision-making alone.
I was so disgusted with the First Test fiasco that I couldn’t even write a blog. However, a few more weeks has left me calmer, cooler and possessed of a broader view! Sri Lanka may no longer be a five-day force to be reckoned with but let’s recognise England’s resurgence. It’s not just about the young guns so beloved of the media.
Jimmy Anderson has surpassed himself, storming to the top of the ICC rankings at the age of 33 thanks to eighteen wickets in the brief series so far. He has also achieved the 450-wicket milestone, only the sixth man, and third seamer, to do so. Stuart Broad ceded the top spot to his team-mate while Chris Woakes did not disgrace himself on his return to the side in Ben Stokes’ place. Steve Finn’s attacking prowess is not what it was, but then right now it doesn’t need to be.
The jury’s still out on Nick Compton, who’s out of form this summer while others have filled their boots on bat-friendly pitches. Despite his first-innings 83, I remain unconvinced by Alex Hales, too, but can’t see an obvious candidate with the required composure and consistency. Joe Root is unmoveable and both James Vince and Jonny Bairstow are utterly worthy of a long run in the England whites.
I can’t help feeling Moeen Ali is utterly wasted at number eight. Advanced to seven ahead of Woakes, he proved my point this week by striking an excellent entertaining 155 not out. And yet the batting headlines were made by a man who scored 15 and 47 not out.
Skipper Alastair Cook can get weighed down by expectation or impending landmarks Therefore, it was a relief to all when, during the simple run chase, he clipped a boundary to leg for the runs he needed to become the first Englishman, and the youngest in world history, to break the 10,000 barrier. With so many matches scheduled for England, I can definitely see him proceeding to threaten Sachin Tendulkar’s awesome record in the next six years or so. It could be just injury or a massive sport upheaval that gets in his way.
A solid dependable opener off the impressive Essex production line, Cook earned respect from an early age, much as Joe Root has done. Yes, he has had his dodgy spells but has always managed to bounce back, even with the added yoke of captaincy. What has stood him out from the crowd of other greats like Gower, Gooch or, indeed, Bell, is his ability to make runs and win matches on foreign soil such as India or Australia. Very few top batsmen boast a better average away than at home but Cook’s figures are 49 and 43, respectively, bolstered by 55 on neutral territory. How many other non-Asian men have averaged more than 60 in India? Of those playing more than fifteen innings, the answer is a mere three: Clive Lloyd, Bert Sutcliffe and Hashim Amla.
So what next this summer? After recharging his batteries in the Spring, he delivered three centuries in four games to ignite his county’s promotion challenge and I’m sure he will score more against Pakistan if not before. England are buzzing right now. The Test series is boringly one-sided but at least it distracts from the Twenty20 nonsense and puts the focus back on players such as Anderson and Cook, two of England’s undisputed all-time greats.
