Overton waits for unlikely chance

Craig Overton made his test debut for England in December, in a daynight match in Adelaide during the Ashes, and could play another one this week in Auckland.

His chances have taken a blow, however, with all-rounder Ben Stokes returning to the bowling crease in training on Monday, giving England all four of their frontline seam options - James Anderson, Stuart Broad, and Chris Woakes are the others.

Overton didn’t seem too fussed about the uncertainty when he spoke before training yesterday, but it was clear he would relish the opportunity to add to his two test caps, with Mark Wood the other possible inclusion if Stokes’ back issues flared up and another bowling option was required.

’’You don’t often play in daynight test matches,’’ he said.

‘‘So to get the chance to play in one will be special. Obviously I made my debut in one in Adelaide, so to play another one here would be really special.’’

After taking four wickets on debut as England lost to Australia in Adelaide, Overton suffered a fractured rib in the following test in Perth, and returned home to recover.

The Black Caps at Eden Park will be a different beast to Australia at the Adelaide Oval, where 199,147 punters flocked through the gates across the whole match, but Overton said it was all test cricket at the end of the day.

‘‘You’re still playing against a country and they’re all good cricketers, so I don’t see it as any different.

‘‘Obviously there’s a bit more of a rivalry between Australia and us, but you’re still playing against a country, they’re still fighting to win for their country and we’re doing that as well, so it’s no different really.’’

While Australia have led the charge in hosting four of the eight day-night tests played so far in the men’s game, England have shied away, not scheduling one during their coming summer, or in their home Ashes series in 2019, after dipping their toes in the water last year against the West Indies.

The key factor is the fact that their home crowds are healthy as is, which isn’t the case in many other countries, including New Zealand, a set of circumstances that could result in them playing day-night cricket with the pink ball mainly on the road.

‘‘It’s going to be a strange one, that,’’ said Overton.

‘You don’t want to lose the actual format of test cricket and if day-night cricket helps keep the punters in and keep the crowds up, then it’s definitely an option worth taking.

‘‘We certainly enjoy playing in them.’’