Buttler shines thanks to help of Trescothick
England pass 400 runs after batsman’s century Curran stakes Test claim with three-wicket haul
England could not force victory on the final day against New Zealand A, but they batted long and deep, in accordance with Joe Root’s mission statement before the game, even though they wobbled at 105 for five.
The last time England reached 400 in a Test was in their second innings against India at the Oval in September last year; the last time they had made 400 in their first innings was at Melbourne on a wearisome pitch, when Alastair Cook carved and chiselled his last double hundred.
Specifically, it was Jos Buttler, back as wicketkeeper/batsman, and Ollie Pope who set up the lead of 103, before New Zealand batted out the final day, just. It was only the sixth century Buttler has scored in first-class cricket, but he has not been idle these 29 years as he has made 11 more in white-ball cricket.
“It was a tough summer, physically and emotionally, great fun and a huge challenge and one you look back on with real fondness, but it took a lot out of most of us, I’d say,” Buttler reflected. “So, the four to five weeks we’ve had off have been invaluable – allow yourself to refresh and have some time away and get excited to come back involved.
“I had a couple of [net] sessions. I actually went down to Somerset to work with Marcus Trescothick. He’d obviously been around in the summer and is someone I know really well. I spoke to him about doing a few sessions, which I thought was brilliant, really enjoyed that and got a lot out of it.
“It gave some building blocks to coming here and feeling in good touch. We spoke a lot about the game plan as well. You look around the world, there’s so many different techniques’. I don’t think there is a right technique, but the guys who seem to score runs more consistently, they read the game really well and have good game plans.”
In addition to his stand of 114 with Pope, Buttler shared another of 71 with Jofra Archer. Archer’s batting fell away last summer, in the inevitable course of things, so it was important he made his first score of note for England; and he has all the shots, the most handsome back-foot cover drive. In adding 50 with Buttler, Archer contributed 32 as if senior partner.
So, even if England’s Test top order continues to be not so very profitable, at their reduced tempo, opposing bowlers will be at least more weary in future by the time the fifth wicket goes down. Such is England’s depth that Stuart Broad, who aggregates more than 3,000 runs in Tests, is No11.
This is probably a record of a sort, but here it was more relevant that he batted like a No11, walking away from a bouncer and swatting his first ball to midwicket.
England’s bowlers, armed with that handsome lead, pitched the new ball up against the upper order of New Zealand A and harried the lower order with bouncers. The hosts missed Hamish Rutherford, an accomplished opener, who had been concussed in the opening session by Archer and replaced, not by a batsman as there was no other in the home side’s squad, but by the fast bowler Scott Kuggeleijn. Yet having shipped eight wickets in 46 overs, New Zealand A lost no more until the teams shook hands with 15 overs remaining
Since Buttler ceased to keep wicket for England in Tests on a regular basis four years ago, England have acquired an express bowler in Archer. “He was pretty quick,” Buttler said. “He’s got an incredible skill to go up and down the gears. I’m sure he’s not got to full tilt yet – he’ll be saving that for the Tests – but he has some serious attributes and, even at 80-90 per cent, he gets it down at a fair pace.”
Sam Curran, hitherto a little crestfallen maybe at his lack of wickets in Whangarei, perked up and started throwing his arms in the air again when he took three. It is difficult to be accurate and to experiment; and for much of this game the lateral movement was such that neither side posted a slip.
The first of Curran’s wickets was caught down leg side, but his next two were pukka as he used the crosswind to tempt batsmen to drive, and he must have sealed his place for the first Test ahead of Chris Woakes. Curran would have had another wicket but for Root dropping a catch at leg slip, and the captain missed a second chance high to his left at first slip.
These two misses left England too little time to dislodge Will Somerville and Ajaz Patel, tough old spinners who have played a few Tests: Jack Leach did not have the flight to tempt them or the bounce to have them caught close in. Otherwise, England’s preparation – more so than before most recent Test series – was satisfactory, assisted by the nets being so good.