Ben Stokes on song and new faces shine – 5 things we learned from Windies series

England completed their first assignment of the summer by securing a 3-0 whitewash of the West Indies at Edgbaston.

Here, the PA news agency looks at what lessons can be learned from the series.

Ashes on the agenda

The early days of Ben Stokes’ captaincy were marked by an insistence on focusing squarely on the next game at hand, or in the words of head coach Brendon McCullum, ‘living where your feet are’. But the high drama of last summer’s drawn series against Australia, followed by a first major setback in India over the winter, appears to have inspired a shift in tone. Both men are now openly talking about building a side that can tackle the ultimate goal of regaining the urn in 2025/26 and picking teams with that in mind. The here and now might be in good order, but it is clear that risks will be taken and big calls made with one eye on a trip Down Under that could define the entire project.

There is life after James Anderson

Parting ways with the most prolific fast bowler in the history of the game was never going to be simple, but England finally cut the cord on the man who has led their attack for most of the past two decades. Anderson resisted the idea of scripting his own ending so eventually had the final chapter written for him by the selectors. With nobody capable of replicating his exact skills, England are banking on pace as the new defining feature of their bowling attack. Gus Atkinson stepped up brilliantly with 22 wickets in his first Test series and hitting 90mph along the way, while Mark Wood’s lightning bolts became more integral than ever. With Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue likely to come back into the Test equation next summer, England are eyeing a pace arsenal with real firepower.

Smith is the real deal

• Runs: 207

• Average: 51.75

• Top-score: 95

• Strike-rate: 71.62

• Catches: 14

Even after deciding to move on from 100-cap veteran Jonny Bairstow and the silken-gloved Ben Foakes, England had a big decision to make behind the stumps. Ollie Robinson was posting serious numbers at Durham and Phil Salt’s performances in the white-ball team catapulted him into contention. Instead they backed Jamie Smith, effectively Foakes’ wicketkeeping understudy at Surrey. His handiwork was quietly impressive against the West Indies, but it was his effervescent batting at number seven that really wowed. He smashed sixes out of the ground at Lord’s and Edgbaston and came within one more big blow of a century in his final knock. Every inch a ‘Bazball’ cricketer, the 24-year-old now looks inked into the core of the side.

Surgery has saved Stokes

The England captain resisted an operation on his long-term knee condition, but his decision to go under the knife last year has breathed new life into both him and his team. He had been operating at reduced capacity for at least 18 months, unable to take his share of the bowling load, stiff in the field and often pained at the crease. He looks lean and vibrant, fit and able to step up as fourth seamer and running with his old hunger. Ben Stokes the captain has no better player at his disposal than Ben Stokes the all-rounder.

West Indies plight is a warning sign

Without taking anything away from England’s efforts, seeing the West Indies routed in 10 days of a scheduled 15 represents a red flag. Ticket sales have been outstanding once again this summer, but a one-sided series means there is no room for complacency. Watching the likes of Kirk McKenzie struggle to compete while T20 stars like Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer compete in The Hundred is a bad look for the game. The West Indies need more financial muscle to keep their best players involved and the England and Wales Cricket Board must do more – financially and politically – to fight for the global game.