cracked rib may force him to sit it out. Photograph: Jason O'Brien/PA
Craig Overton is, by his own admission, a work in progress. But amid the wreckage of England’s Ashes loss he has stood out as a player with the temperament for Test cricket and one of courage, too, risking a possible punctured lung when playing on in Perth with a cracked rib.
A worst case scenario, perhaps, but one that was put to the 23-year-old by the team doctor as he tried desperately to halt Australia’s march to a 3-0 scoreline that saw the urn regained by Steve Smith’s side in just 15 days of play.
First struck while batting on debut in Adelaide, Overton exacerbated the damage when tumbling for a chance off his own bowling at the Waca. He ploughed on in the innings and 41-run defeat and remains desperate to play in the fourth Test starting in Melbourne on Boxing Day – even if common sense will surely prevail.
“The draw of playing in that game will be absolutely massive,” said Overton. “It’s obviously quite sore … and not the most ideal thing to get. It just seemed like battling through the pain was in my nature. I’ve always been taught to fight through things, and that’s what I’ve had to do. At the minute there’s quite a lot of swelling. We’ll wait and see. I hope three or four days will help.”
Overton, whose seven wickets from two matches include Smith and David Warner, credits his parents, Mark and Helen, for instilling this determination, as well as having to show no pain when struck by his twin brother Jamie – the quicker of the two Somerset seamers – during games growing up. But for all his personal pride, the result stings more than the injury.
He said: “I’ve felt like I’ve given it everything I can. And the confidence of being able to bowl and take wickets at this level is massive. I’m still proud showing what I can do. But for me it’s not about how proud I am as a cricketer – it’s about winning games for England. That’s what hurts the most at the minute.”
A raft of reasons have been cited during the inquest into England’s downfall in Australia, among them some envy for the pace at which the home side’s bowlers operate compared to the fast-medium at Joe Root’s disposal. Speed alone is not a panacea but Overton, operating in the low 80s and extracting bounce from his 6ft 5in frame, still acknowledges its value.
“The pitches out here are generally quite flat, and you’ve seen from their bowlers if you have a bit of pace you can still take wickets,” he added. “That’s one thing we’re trying to develop a little bit, and I am as well – to get that little bit quicker. It’s still a work in progress and I’ll keep at it.”
England, with their families having arrived in Perth, will step off the treadmill for a few days before training resumes at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday. Root and the tour management will then take a view as to who should make up their team for the fourth Test, with the considerations chiefly coming in the bowling department.
Overton’s expected absence could open up a spot for either Jake Ball or the uncapped Tom Curran, although Mark Wood – even if not officially part of the squad – will also be striving to impress. Stuart Broad, averaging 61 for his five wickets, is also under pressure, while Mason Crane’s leg-breaks will enter the discussion given Moeen Ali’s struggles on tour.
The challenge facing whoever gets the nod is outlined by Smith moving to a career-high 945 points at the top of the ICC Test batting rankings after his Test best 239 in Perth. By way of reference, it puts him tied in second place with Sir Len Hutton in the all-time rankings, with the gap closing on Sir Donald Bradman (961 points) at the top.
