I’d bowl a super over ...but I really hope it won’t come to that!
SAM CURRAN on his rise to England’s go-to death bowler
The last time england competed in a Twenty20 World Cup, Sam Curran was forced to pull out with a stress fracture of the back that dogged him until last summer.
Now, a year later, he has emerged ahead of Ben Stokes as england’s key all-rounder at this tournament.
It was former head selector ed Smith who first identified Curran as a player who helps a team become more than the sum of its parts, and never was there a better example of ‘things happening’ when Curran is around than Tuesday’s victory over New Zealand in Brisbane.
First, he added the impetus at the end of england’s innings that Stokes could not produce with a last- over six. Then he took a running boundary catch to send back the dangerous Jimmy Neesham, turning to acknowledge england fans in the stands as he ran with the ball safely in hand.
Then he produced another decisive performance with the ball during the New Zealand innings, most crucially at the death.
Curran has now taken 14 wickets at an average of nine in five T20s since england arrived in Australia, including remarkable figures of five for 10 against Afghanistan.
From being a far from certain World Cup starter he has now become the man Jos Buttler turns to, in the absence of the injured Reece Topley, for the all-important 18th and 20th overs.
And he does it at a height, 5ft 9in, and a pace in the mid-80s, admittedly from a left-arm angle, that really should not be that effective on Australian pitches against the very best opposition. Somehow Curran is very much greater than the sum of his parts.
‘You have to try to enjoy it,’ said Curran of his relish at taking on the main bowling responsibilities for england. ‘Maybe I wouldn’t enjoy it so much if there weren’t as many runs to defend but you just have to back yourself in those moments.’
It is the absolute clarity with which Curran goes about his business that has been most impressive. he just always seems to know what he is doing and what he should bowl.
‘You can adjust but most of the time, when the pressure is on, you’ve got to run in knowing what you are going to deliver and be confident in that,’ he said before england moved on to Sydney for Saturday’s final group game against Sri Lanka.
‘If the batsman moves you might change your decision, but at the same time you pretty much know what you are going to bowl and you have to have a clear mind.’
Now england have a reunion with former coach Chris Silverwood, who is relishing coaching Sri Lanka, knowing a win will be good enough to progress to the semifinals, unless Australia transform their net run-rate with a huge win over Afghanistan tomorrow.
‘We are lucky we play last because we will know what we need to do, but Sri Lanka are a very good side and we’ll be preparing really well to face them and Spoons (Silverwood),’ said Curran. ‘It will be good to see him again but let’s hope it’s us who come out on top. We will know what the equation is, but most importantly it will be about winning.
‘This is real game time now. It’s almost like a quarter-final feeling which I’ve never really been involved in before. This will be new ground and we’re really excited.’
There is one possible role at this World Cup that might even test Curran’s nerveless temperament. For if there should be a tied game and a super over, just as in the 50- over World Cup final of 2019, then he is emerging as the perfect candidate to bowl for england.
‘I’d put my hand up,’ insisted Curran. ‘You always back yourself in those type of situations. But let’s hope we just carry on winning and it doesn’t come to that!’