TEEN SAM HAS NO FEAR

SAM CURRAN reckons a winter spent as a part of England’s T20 squad, playing cricket in New Zealand and fending for himself will help him if he makes his Test debut today. The Surrey teenager was given a shock call-up to the Test squad as cover for Ben Stokes (above) who has a tight hamstring, and could follow almost immediately in the footsteps of Ashes-playing brother Tom. The younger Curran (right) is an all-rounder who dismissed Joe Root three weeks ago with his left-arm medium-fast and who the skipper believes will offer “a point of difference” to the bowling attack. “I had a very good winter away with Auckland and played in their T20 side,” said Curran. “That whole experience was good, just to get away from the bubble of England programmes and do things like cooking for myself. “Then going on that England T20 tour, just being around those guys I could see what you need to be doing to be settled in that environment. Even though I didn’t play I still felt I learned a lot. “I’m only 19 but I’ve played a lot of cricket.”