How about this for a verdict on England’s Test series against Sri Lanka: the last fortnight has been the most uplifting in English cricket since last summer's Ashes victory.
There is no punchline, in case you were waiting for one. When was the last time a group of newcomers came into the England side and made such fabulous contributions from the word go?
At the start of the summer, Sam Robson, Moeen Ali and Gary Ballance had one Test cap between them, won by Ballance at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January, in the final chapter of the 5-0 Ashes whitewash.
They now have seven. They also have a Test century apiece, too. Ballance’s hundred in the First Investec Test at Lord’s allowed England to push for the win they came so close to achieving.
After taking plenty of criticism of his technique, Robson responded with 127 in the first innings at Headingley. The best of the lot was the 108 not out by Moeen (right) yesterday.
Though it was made in vain, this was one of the outstanding innings of recent times for England.
To bat through the day, with the team under severe pressure, was a mighty effort for any batsman, let alone an international novice.
Joe Root scored a double century at Lord’s. Ben Stokes was superb in the Ashes and is rediscovering his rhythm. Although he was quiet at Headingley, Chris Jordan has made a bright start to his international career and has done enough to suggest he can prosper in all three forms. After seven years out of the Test arena, Liam Plunkett has bowled with venom and accuracy.
When England were one of the world’s best Test teams, under Andrew Strauss and then during the first year of Cook’s tenure, we wondered if there were the players in the first-class game capable of replacing them. The two Tests against Sri Lanka have provided strong evidence that there are. Sri Lanka are not Australia or South Africa but nor are they Bangladesh or Zimbabwe.
This is a team of tough, streetwise cricketers, with two world superstars in Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene and a captain, Angelo Mathews, in brilliant form. It is to the great credit of England’s less experienced players that they have performed so well.
There is concern about the form of Alastair Cook and doubts about his suitability as captain.
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Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Matt Prior all struggled at Headingley. There is no obvious spin candidate to succeed Graeme Swann.
But it is very comforting for England supporters to see young players making such contributions. Isn’t that better than relying endlessly on the same, familiar names?
Proof that cricket’s a religion
Many are the cricket captains who have wished for divine intervention when matters are going against them.
But those who lead their respective teams in an eye-catching Twenty20 match later this year will have more reason than most for doing so.
On September 19, St Peter’s Cricket Club, of Rome, take on an Anglican XI, in the shadow of Canterbury Cathedral. If the frequently name-checked ‘cricketing Gods’ were ever to take interest in a particular game, this is surely it.
