Shoaib Bashir’s visa, Ben Stokes’ hamstring, Chris Woakes’ off-spin and patio heaters. Two Ollie Robinsons, James Anderson and Josh Hull.
Across 17 Tests in 2024, England have veered from exhilarating to infuriating, often in the same session.
In credit, just, with three series wins to two and nine Test victories to eight.
The first-Test triumphs in India and Pakistan have all-time great status. Defeats in Dharamsala, Rawalpindi, by Sri Lanka at The Oval and this week in New Zealand, were downright dreadful. Twice beaten by more than 400 runs, a feat no other team has managed in the same calendar year. When England lose, they get mullered.
Stokes’ men have the knack of winning series openers – all five of them this year – then fading like broken Christmas lights. Four finales lost, three dead rubbers treated like beer matches.
England’s win-loss record is mitigated by eight Tests played in tough Asian conditions and the balance sheet looks healthier still given the revamp of personnel. For that reason, the value of England’s 2024 may not be revealed for some time, well beyond a mouth-watering 2025.
Of 24 players used, seven have been debutants, most with success. England have lowered the age-profile of their team while keeping results stable.
Anderson, Robinson (the bowler), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Dan Lawrence have been shown the exit. Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jamie Smith and Jacob Bethell look here to stay. It is a contrast to the pension-pushing Australia team.
The pace bowling needed most surgery and ends as the most improved. It is one of Brendon McCullum’s biggest achievements as coach to wean England off Anderson and Stuart Broad.
For all of the skills of ‘Branderson’, the question of how they and England could take wickets on unresponsive overseas pitches hung around like what happened on Uncle Bryn’s fishing trip. It is one of the reasons county bowlers are given the unwanted gift of a Kookaburra ball at various points in the English summer.
In his five Tests, Carse has taken more wickets (27) in a single winter than Anderson or Broad managed. Of all England bowlers to take at least 50 wickets, only one can better Atkinson’s strike-rate, and that was George Lohmann, trundling in when Queen Victoria was on the throne.
This is not to say Atkinson and Carse are better bowlers than Anderson and Broad – far from it. They are different and maybe different is what England need. There will hopefully be firepower to add in 2025 as Mark Wood, Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer work their way back to fitness.
Bashir is a concern, regressing after a rapid rise. In Pakistan (helpful conditions) and New Zealand (much less so), his 17 wickets cost more than 50 apiece. At 21, he is learning on the job and needs a good home summer.