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Are England good?
Consistently inconsistent across the whole of 2024, it is anyone’s guess where England’s true mean lies. But in a year where they have waved goodbye to Stuart Broad, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson, a new generation has officially emerged.
The four-one series defeat in India at the start of this year was the catalyst. Dropped were Bairstow and Ben Foakes, while Anderson was given a farewell Test against the West Indies to say goodbye.
A dominant home summer followed against weak opponents, which in turn was followed up by two heavy defeats in Pakistan.
This tour of New Zealand was meant to be the true litmus test. A strong opponent, playing on their own turf in a country that England haven’t won a series in since 2008. The Kiwis were considered marginal favourites in some quarters and heavy in others. No-one, however, expected England to cruise to a two-nil lead with two crushing victories. A country that hadn’t been conquered in 16 years, swept aside in less than two weeks.
But New Zealand have been bad. And at some points they have been awful. An out of character first Test performance, where they dropped eight catches and threw away strong positions in both the first and second innings of the match, was followed up by a disappointing showing in the second.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl, they had England 21 for three and on the ropes, before a Harry Brook century lifted England to 280 and gave New Zealand the chance to finish day one in a strong position. Wrong. They lost five wickets of their own before close and less than six hours after they had threatened to skittle England for under a 100, they were staring defeat in the face.
As a whole, England’s series win contains caveats, but on an individual level, there are a number of success stories standing out for England. Namely, the emergence of Jacob Bethell, as well as the forming of two partnerships in Joe Root and Harry Brook; and Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse.
The ICC currently rank Root and Brook as the No.1 and No.2 Test batters in the world. In truth, no-one really understands how the ICC rankings work, but as a symbol it is strong and as a statement it is one England agree with.
“He’s just phenomenal,” Ben Stokes said of Brook after the match finished. “You take a step back and no one has a right to go out and score 120 on that wicket against the attack that New Zealand have.”
Root himself believes that Brook is currently the best player in the world.
“If you ask me,” Root said. “Harry Brook is by far and away the best player in the world at the minute.”
Both scored centuries in Wellington. Brook’s was match-winning; Root’s match-cementing. For Brook, it was a seventh Test century away from home and his average of 91.5 in overseas Tests is bettered only by Donald Bradman. Meanwhile, for Root, it was a 36th Test century in total and felt inevitable from the moment he walked out to the middle. With England’s lead above 550, Root was on 98 and turned to his signature ‘Root-Scoop’ to ramp the ball over the wicketkeeper and bring up the milestone in style. Stokes, at the other end, raised his arms to the air in celebration and laughed.
“I was just relieved it didn’t hit me in the face to be honest,” Root joked afterward. “When I got down there I thought I’m in a really bad position for this.”
Since 2021, Root has made 19 Test centuries. No-one else in the world has made more than nine. What’s more, his six centuries this year have seen him nominated for BBC’s Sport’s Personality of the Year.
With the addition of Jacob Bethell to the batting ranks and Jamie Smith to return in the summer, England’s batting depth is looking the strongest it has been for years, built around a truly world-class partnership of Root and Brook at four and five.
If England’s batting engine room is looking in good shape, so too is their bowling. In Atkinson and Carse England have two pitch-independent bowlers who have locked themselves into the starting line-up for the foreseeable.
Both can operate at high-pace, and with their ability to gain movement off the seam rather than through the air, they are as at home in the cold of Chester-Le-Street as they are in the heat of Multan or the wind of Wellington.
Carse’s tally of 25 wickets across the winter is a figure that James Anderson only matched once, while Stuart Broad’s highest tally of away wickets over a winter stood at 22.
Likewise Atkinson is breaking records wherever he turns. His hat-trick on day two meant that within six months of his debut, he has a Test ten-fer, century and hat-trick to his name.
“It’s Gus’s world,” said Root, “and we’re all just living in it.”
Barring the temptation to rest and rotate any of the seamers, England are likely to go unchanged for the third and final Test. The makeshift batting line-up with Bethell and three and Ollie Pope at No.6 has worked, but Stokes wouldn’t be drawn on how it may shape up over the summer when England welcome India and Smith comes back into the side. They cannot all play at once.
New Zealand have been more than generous hosts, but England have made the most of it and after a year where they waved goodbye to the adults, the new kids have arrived in style.
