England ended their near-perfect Test summer on a disappointing note as they fell to an eight-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka at the Oval.
The tourists victory brought the consolation of a 2-1 series scoreline, with England having won the two previous Tests – at Old Trafford and Lord’s – as well as sweeping West Indies 3-0 earlier in the summer.
It has been a summer of evolution for Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s side, with the likes of James Anderson, Jack Leach, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes moved on, while Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson and Josh Hull all made debuts.
Here’s how England rated across the course of the home summer…
Zak Crawley – 5
97 runs @ 24.25
Started the summer with 76 against West Indies at Lord’s, his sole significant contribution before the finger break that ruled him out of the Sri Lanka Tests. Stock grew in his absence, though, and will come straight back in in Pakistan.
Ben Duckett – 6
364 runs @ 36.40
Clearly in much better nick than his numbers suggest. Wasteful at times, admitting to throwing away a hundred against Sri Lanka at the Oval, but continues to set the tone. Must be greedier this winter and will be glad to see partner Crawley come back.
Dan Lawrence – 3
120 runs @ 20.00
Had waited a long time for his first Bazball era opportunity but probably wishes it had not come at the top of the order. Best score in six innings was a chaotic 35 at the Oval, when seeming to have accepted his race was run. Will he even be kept on as spare batter in Pakistan?
Ollie Pope – 7
430 runs @ 43.00
Began with a hundred and two fifties in his first three innings, before a worrying slide after inheriting the interim captaincy. Came good under pressure on his home ground with the bat, making 154 in the Third Test against Sri Lanka, but doubts persist as to whether he is Ben Stokes’s successor.
Joe Root – 9
666 runs @ 74.00; 1 wicket @ 66.00
Officially England’s player of the summer, made three hundreds and three fifties in ten innings, including an unbeaten effort in the chase against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford and then twin tons to clinch the series at Lord’s. Now up to sixth in the all-time Test run charts and will go past Sir Alastair Cook as England’s greatest in Pakistan.
Harry Brook – 5
377 runs @ 37.70
Made his first home hundred against West Indies, but returns dwindled thereafter, with just one half-century in six knocks against Sri Lanka. Appeared to struggle more than most with the sense that this was not a high stakes summer. The first blip in his Test career.
Ben Stokes – 7
192 runs @ 48.00; 5 wickets @ 34.20
Returned to full capacity as an all-rounder during West Indies series and looked as fit as at any point since 2019 peak. Made three fifties in five innings, including the fastest in England’s Test history. Struck down by hamstring tear during the Hundred and now racing to be fit for Pakistan.
Jamie Smith – 9
487 runs @ 48.70
An extraordinary debut summer. Eyebrow-raising pick at the start of it, England’s undisputed wicketkeeper by the end. Mature and adaptable, made a maiden hundred and finished second only to Root in the run charts. Glovework was a question, but did a more than satisfactory job behind the stumps.
Chris Woakes – 8
24 wickets @ 20.25; 180 runs @ 20.00
Returned to the side having sat out the winter’s trip to India and stepped up as attack leader after James Anderson retired. Superb in the brief and incredibly consistent from second Test onwards. Valuable contributions with the bat against West Indies gave England confidence to use him to balance the side at No7 when Stokes went down.
Gus Atkinson – 9
34 wickets @ 20.17; 202 runs @ 25.25
Looks like he will play Test cricket for a long time but will struggle to match this maiden campaign. Took 12 wickets on debut at Lord’s, then another five-for at the same ground against Sri Lanka, before capping it all with a ridiculous first career hundred. Only sub-par display came at the Oval, when struggling with injury.
Mark Wood – 8
11 wickets @ 22.45
Magnificent against the West Indies, when he was clocked at 97.1mph and took a second innings five-for. Only played once against Sri Lanka, though, before elbow injury struck. Will be a huge miss this winter.
Olly Stone – 6
7 wickets @ 29.42
The beneficiary of Wood’s injury, made an encouraging return to the side after three years away. Won’t match the Durham man’s pace but is quick enough and will have a big part to play this winter if he can stay fit.
Matthew Potts – 5
5 wickets @ 29.60
Tried too hard on his own return against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford but much-improved at Lord’s and unfortunate to be left out when England decided to give Josh Hull a run. Would have had a couple more wickets if not for some horrid drops and gave Atkinson good support with the bat en route to his ton.
Shoaib Bashir – 6
15 wickets @ 36.06
Didn’t bowl, bat or take a catch at Lord’s against West Indies, but ripped through the tourists with a fourth innings five-for at Trent Bridge. Never quite got into the series against Sri Lanka, but secure as No1 spinner heading to Pakistan.
James Anderson – 5
4 wickets @ 14.50
Given a farewell Test at Lord’s at the start of the summer, before taking up mentoring role. A happy quirk that he finishes top of the bowling averages.
Josh Hull – 5
3 wickets @ 30.33
Thrown into the final Test as a late summer gamble and showed both his promise and rawness. Height and left-arm angle is intriguing, though whether he tours Pakistan may depend on balance of England’s squad. Will rue drop of Dhananjaya de Silva on day two.
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