After three days of rest and reflection that followed defeat in Dubai England recommence training at the antiquated Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday with the third Test against Pakistan starting on Sunday. The goal for Alastair Cook’s side is now simple: win the match, draw the series.
Aside from the former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne crossing the old Ashes divide to join Adil Rashid for a net session, it will be business as usual for the squad. And naturally, after a defeat, the make-up of the XI will be up for debate and those outside the team will be straining that extra yard to impress.
Among them is James Taylor, the Nottinghamshire batsman who last played Test cricket for England in the summer of 2012 against South Africa, the final series under the previous captain, Andrew Strauss, when their world No1 ranking was lost amid the swirling mess that surrounded one of Kevin Pietersen’s fallouts with his then employers.
Two caps, three innings and 48 runs followed – being run out by Jonathan Trott calling for a fourth in his final knock at Lord’s did not help – before Taylor missed out on a place for the winter tour to India under the newly installed Cook. It has taken three years for the 25-year-old to fight his way back into the Test fold.
His place on the current tour came after a surge in runs for Nottinghamshire in the second half of the season, beginning with a career-best 291 against Sussex at Trent Bridge in July, before his 101 against Australia at Old Trafford for England’s one-day side finally convinced the selectors.
Taylor reveals that, out in the middle, he knew snap assessments were being made about that century in this era of turbo-charged 50-over cricket – that it could be a match-losing one – but he had the confidence to dig in and run hard, hitting only five boundaries in 114 balls. The 93-run victory that followed was vindication, a maiden hundred for his country proof that he could succeed at international level.
“That innings was my career highlight to date. After scoring 98 against Australia in the World Cup at the start of the year, it was hugely satisfying too,” he tells the Guardian. “I knew people would be thinking [I was scoring slowly] but I also knew, in myself, that it was the right way to go. And I think my biggest strength is adapting to a given situation.
“Last year was my first winter away with England in the one-day side and this is my first Test tour; it’s been a while coming. While it’s massively different here in the UAE, that century against Australia showed I can score international runs.
“I believe I was ready when I made my Test debut [in 2012] – at the time I felt really comfortable at the crease. OK, it’s easy to say but it is genuine. Now I have a better technique, more experience, I’m mentally stronger and have international runs under my belt. I’m in a very good place.”
As well as form, Taylor’s selection for the trip was down to a reputation for playing spin well. As is the way on modern tours, time in the middle has been limited, with only one innings in the warm-up against Pakistan A, where he made 61 in three hours. Since then it has been about getting the most out of net sessions.
“Playing spin is an area I’ve always enjoyed; I always try and be busy and not let the bowlers settle. The first port of call is picking them out of the hand. If you don’t it’s out of the air with the revs on the ball and then finally off the pitch.
“You have three go-to’s in that respect but it’s instinctive too; that’s what you train for and why the nets, especially out here, are so crucial. It’s about maintaining your work, your head space and the way you are hitting the ball.”
Standing at 5ft 6in, Taylor’s height naturally makes him a target for jokes among the team. The fast bowler Mark Wood, early in the tour, took great pleasure in packaging up a pretend parcel of kit from his sponsors Gray-Nicolls, only for Taylor to discover, on opening it, that they were in fact children’s size.
But his low centre of gravity naturally helps Taylor against the turning ball. While Mark Ramprakash gets a special mention for keeping nets intense in the absence of match practice, Taylor also benefited from the early input on tour of the consultant coach and former Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardene.
“Mahela was brilliant, especially for me as a batsman of a similar height. He showed me the right positions to get into and what shots he made runs with against spin and also the reversing ball in these conditions.
“Those snippets have really helped. It’s like any coach, you pick and choose which bits of advice you take on board. I have my game, it’s about building on it. You don’t plateau, you add bits to your game all the time.
“And I feel in a good place even though I have not been playing in the series so far. I just try and stay as positive as possible and I always believe I can win a game, whoever I am playing for.”
