England could name their squad for next month’s first Test against New Zealand as early as this week.
After a chastening Ashes winter that led to an in-depth review of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s work and an overhaul of selection, all eyes will be on how they value the opening five rounds of County Championship action, especially after the team’s statements that they would look closer at the domestic game this season.
Here, Daily Mail Sport looks at the issues to be resolved after the latest round of Championship matches.
Openers
Ben Duckett began the season under pressure after a poor Ashes, but an undefeated double century in Nottinghamshire’s draw with Surrey at Trent Bridge on Monday confirmed he’s nailed on to keep his place. Having dropped out of the IPL to focus on his red-ball game, he has now made 503 runs this season at an average of 83.
The question is: who will open with Duckett now that England are certain to omit Zak Crawley, who has averaged less than 20 for Kent?
The new County Insight Group – comprising domestic coaches Mickey Arthur, Richard Dawson, Anthony McGrath and Alan Richardson – met with members of the ECB hierarchy, including Rob Key and Andrew Flintoff, last week at Breadsall Priory Country Club in Derbyshire to discuss this and other issues.
James Rew is highly touted by county insiders but he has struggled to make a convincing case so far this season
Instead it is Ben McKinney (centre) of Durham who has made the early running, even ahead of team-mate Emilio Gay (right), who is averaging 92
The view outside the England hierarchy is that the best batsman not in the Test setup is James Rew, who took the bold move of opening for Somerset against Glamorgan at Cardiff, only to be dismissed for four and nought in his side’s surprise two-wicket defeat.
But England have long admired Ben McKinney, who thrashed 87 not out from 71 balls in front of Ben Stokes as Durham hammered Worcestershire by nine wickets in their second-division clash at New Road.
And that may confirm his presence in the pecking order ahead of team-mate Emilio Gay, whose 552 runs this season have come at 92, and Glamorgan’s Asa Tribe, who is averaging 38 – but in Division One.
Middle order
Jacob Bethell will bat at No 3, but with next to no red-ball practice. He has been at the IPL, where he has faced 58 balls in five innings for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and averaged 14 – but insists he’s better off mixing it with the game’s stars than batting on county pitches in April and May.
Joe Root sat out Yorkshire’s 377-run mauling by Warwickshire at Edgbaston, where Harry Brook made 40 and 26 in his first game of the season – and unexpectedly bowled 18 overs of medium-pace dobbers as the hosts ran up a second-innings 553 for six.
Stokes was needed only once with the bat during Durham’s win at New Road, making 14 before he was dismissed by 20-year-old seamer Jack Home. His batting will be under the spotlight against New Zealand.
Jacob Bethell has missed the start of the county season to play in the IPL, where he has averaged just 14
Ben Stokes was needed more with the ball than the bat for Durham, who thrashed Worcestershire
Wicketkeeper
Jamie Smith made 37 in Surrey’s draw in Nottingham, and hasn’t quite maintained the standards that brought him hundreds in his first two games.
But he still has 446 Division One runs at 63, and – helpfully for England – has kept wicket in the last two matches because of injury to Ben Foakes.
Spinner
Despite five wickets in Derbyshire’s innings win over Northamptonshire, Shoaib Bashir will probably have to wait for his return, after Daily Mail Sport revealed that leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed – also at the IPL – could be set to play his first home Test after five in Pakistan and India.
If selected, Ahmed would strengthen the lower order by batting at No 8.
Rehan Ahmed is the leading contender to be England’s frontline spinner to begin the summer
Seamers
Josh Tongue cemented his place by removing four of Surrey’s top six on a flat Trent Bridge pitch, and hindered the preparation of his England team-mate Gus Atkinson by hitting him twice on the helmet, forcing him to retire hurt with concussion.
Jofra Archer, who has been at the IPL with Rajasthan Royals, will need to get some overs into his legs, and it was instructive that a fit-looking Stokes took the new ball against Worcestershire, picking up four wickets in 28.5 overs. Brydon Carse may not be available until the third Test after injuring his hand at the IPL.
Most debate will centre on the identity of the other half of the new-ball attack.
Ollie Robinson took six more wickets as Sussex beat Leicestershire by seven wickets at Hove, and how has 17 this season at 26, while Sam Cook also took six to help Essex to a six-wicket win over Hampshire. His summer’s haul is 21 at 20. Durham’s Matthew Potts, the other contender, has 18 at 25. There is no easy answer.
