I’m 7th in the world... why not go for No 1?
MEMORABLE MANCHESTER
ThaT’s a major series win for England. To beat south africa, who have been consistently good both home and away in Test cricket, 3-1 was very satisfying and makes up for the disappointment of losing in our own backyard to them five years ago.
It wasn’t a nice feeling in 2012 and, with the exception of the Nottingham blip, we played very well against a strong side this time round. The captain Joe Root asked us to put certain things right after losing at Trent Bridge and we did so that’s great.
a big step forward in terms of consistent results.
JUST ONE MORE RUN!
I’m delighted with my form with bat and gloves. It’s just a question of quietly carrying on really and not making too big a deal of it when things are going well — but I must confess I was devastated to get out for 99 at Old Trafford.
It was like that time at Lord’s against south africa in 2012 when I fell in the 90s. an extra run shouldn’t really matter that much. It doesn’t mean you have not played well. and I’m certainly happier to make 99 than nine or 19. But we all know in cricket that extra run does matter.
In all honesty a century was the last thing on my mind. When Jimmy anderson came in I was a long way from three figures so to get so close and add 50 for the last wicket was important in setting up the match.
I hear Geoff Boycott said on radio he was going to tell me off for playing that sweep on 99 but I’m still waiting for the call! as for the decision? Well, it is what it is. I hear shane Warne said he would have taken 2,000 Test wickets if those had been out in his day but we move on. The big thing is we went on to beat south africa at home for the first time in 19 years. I’ll take that.
MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
YOU could say coming in at seven lends itself to batting with freedom and in a counter-attacking way, but I think the way you play is more down to the situation than your position in the order.
seven is, apparently, now where I also find myself in the ICC world batting rankings, which I’m delighted about. Is No 1 feasible? Why not?! It’s not something you think about but my aim has always been to work hard to become the best I can possibly be as a batsman and keeper, and if that pushes me even higher in the rankings then I’ll take that.
It was also huge for me to reach 100 dismissals for England in this Test. I loved that. If you think back to where I was two years, or even 18 months ago and what people were saying about my keeping, it’s a really nice landmark. I’ll keep cracking on.
MY CROWD CATCH
WELL, I pretty much had to take that extra ‘catch’ on the balcony when moeen ali hit one towards us during his fabulous secondinnings knock, didn’t I? Everyone else was scarpering back inside!
It was just a natural reaction to go and catch the ball to be honest. Luckily it didn’t hit the glass because I might have had teeth everywhere and it wasn’t far away from causing damage.
a bit too close really and, on a serious note, if it had ricocheted around the balcony it could have hit someone in the face. It’s my job to catch the ball so I just went for it. a good job I caught it, mind, because it would probably have gone viral if a keeper had dropped it.
maybe I’ll leave it next time. Good to see Joe taking the mickey out of me about it afterwards, too. It shows the captaincy won’t change him.
IN THE PINK
WE will venture into the unknown next week with the first day-night Test in this country, which will be very interesting. We are going to have an extra day’s practice with the pink ball ahead of Edgbaston, which will be good because I didn’t get a chance to bat with one in our day- night county match for Yorkshire earlier this season. West Indies have come in under the radar to an extent while we’ve been playing south africa, but we will have a good think about them in the coming days. For now, satisfaction after a job well done by the team and then we’ll go again.