Stokes now knows Potts belongs at this level
What new England captain Ben Stokes learned from his first Test in charge...
ANDERSON AND BROAD STILL HAVE IT
Stokes will have to manage the output of both James Anderson and Stuart Broad, but they showed that when they are fit they can still fire with the new ball like no others. The only question remains about the extra pace needed when the ball gets soft, which may have an impact on selection.
POTTS IS A GENUINE TEST-MATCH ANIMAL
It is not until someone plays Test cricket that you know whether they can handle it and there is no doubt Matthew Potts belongs at this level. He rose to the occasion each time he was thrown the ball and Stokes has quickly worked out he has got a man to rely on.
TOP ORDER NEED MORE TIME
The top three had some good moments, such as Zak Crawley’s entertaining first innings and an opening stand of 59, but they will need more time to find their feet and develop into a consistent unit. Ollie Pope got the ball of the match in the second dig so Stokes will be full of understanding.
WORK HARD WITH SPIN DEPARTMENT
The unexpected debut of Matt Parkinson was a bonus for both him and the team in getting him onto the field, even at Jack Leach’s expense. It is now up to Stokes to work hard with him on his development. The captain took down Ajaz Patel brutally, so Parkinson will know how tough it can be.
HOW BEST TO USE HIMSELF
Stokes made an impact on the game as skipper and as a batsman. But as a bowler he took on the role of enforcer, banging it in halfway down the pitch in a bid to bounce the batsmen into a mistake. Having injured his side doing the same thing in Australia, it is a gamble of a strategy that may bring more risk than reward.