There has been more entertainment than enlightenment. Among the many things to admire and enjoy in a topsy-turvy series has been the advent of Chris Woakes; the silky batting of half of England’s line-up; the calm resilience of Misbah-ul Haq and his team; Younis Khan in Kennington; Yasir Shah tormenting English batsmen inside the M25 yet being clobbered outside it; the absence of the sort of controversies that have stained the last two tours by Pakistan; the unpredictability of the outcome; those press-ups.
But are England any wiser about the way forward after this summer of Test cricket? The side has been bolstered by the Brummie boys, Woakes, the all-rounder, and Moeen Ali, the batsman. They get into the best team. But the same questions remain over at least two batting places.
Selection is an issue. Trevor Bayliss, the coach, who obviously does not have a vice-like grip on the process since he does not always have his own way, has identified his broad philosophy: “I’d rather give someone a Test too many than one too few,” which is generally regarded as a virtuous move in the right direction.
In the 70s, 80s and 90s there was no security of tenure for an England player. Derek Randall, who was a grand batsman on his day, once admitted that he viewed every Test he played as his last and he was not alone in that. In 1988 England famously employed 23 players and four captains against West Indies; in 1989 they picked 29 to play against Australia (unfortunately not all at once). Chaos.
Now the scattergun approach to selection has been banished, which is not to conclude that the balance is perfect. For 21st-century batsmen introduced to the England team the minimum run in the team currently seems to be seven games, if the experiences of Sam Robson, Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance, James Vince and Nick Compton are taken into account.
Oddly enough this policy does not always do the batsmen concerned as many favours as one might think. Those given that minimum of seven Tests cannot complain about a lack of opportunity to demonstrate their prowess but a consequence is that, if they have failed to take their chance, they will have to achieve something remarkable in domestic cricket to earn another go. Vince, for example, if he is overlooked for the winter tours, will now have to score buckets of runs for Hampshire to play Test cricket again.
Moreover the yearning to be fair to a struggling player can backfire. Sometimes it is possible to sense that a batsman has gone; there is that glazed look in the eyes. Certainly that applied to Ravi Bopara in the Ashes series of 2009; it may have been the case before Compton’s last Test at Lord’s this summer or indeed to Vince here.
There is no shame in being dropped yet in this era that prospect seems to be viewed – by the selectors as well as the players – as a traumatic experience to be avoided at all costs. Changing the team in order to improve it is a good idea despite the inevitability of denting the confidence and darkening the mood of the player omitted. It is not, however, the end of the world.
Of course it is a question of balance and sometimes – as far as the selectors are concerned – trusting one’s hunches.
Patience can be virtuous. Steve Waugh had not scored a century in his first 26 Tests and averaged just over 30; Jacques Kallis after 19 Tests was under 30; Mike Gatting after 30 matches averaged 23 and was still seeking a maiden hundred. It was probably a good idea to stick with them. But that does not mean it is always right to be doggedly loyal.
Now it is hard to imagine loyalty being universally extended with regard to the England team. In all probability Vince will be dropped from the Test side. That could possibly apply to Hales and conceivably to Ballance as the selectors contemplate their winter squads.
The pecking order, especially after the enforced retirement of James Taylor, is a bit blurry, as Hales might observe. This may even prompt a throwback to another age when a flurry of runs in county cricket suddenly leads to a summons for national duty. The sun is shining, the pitches are dry and there are runs to be gleaned as the Championship heads for an intriguing climax.
Young batsmen, whose names may be recognised by Bayliss but not their faces, are digging in all over the place. Essex’s Nick Browne has posted 229 not out against Derbyshire; Haseeb Hameed of Lancashire, 19 years of age, has registered a century in the Roses match; Nick Gubbins of Middlesex has hit 145 against Durham at Lord’s. The selectors, who admittedly played a blinder when they plumped for Moeen 18 months ago, have some work to do now. They could do with another of their hunches coming good.
