Ben Duckett celebrates centenary before lunch against Ireland. Photo: Getty Images/Gareth Copley
England has never liked or trusted attacking rookies. Colin Milburn was ejected ostensibly because of his on-pitch play, but cheers were heard as he hooked up fast West Indian bowlers for six. At Edgbaston, the barrel-shaped John Jameson still regrets being fired after four tests. In the 1960s, Bob Barber played for England, but he could literally afford to attack like a fan of personal funds.
However, since Ben Stokes took over as England captain and Brandon McCallum took over as head coach, attacking rookies are no longer mavericks to be dismissed, but must-haves. And no starting batsman in the history of Test cricket has attacked as effectively as Ben Duckett since his return to the England squad last winter.
Victorian scorers didn't have software to record the number of balls that test batsmen faced, but by all accounts, India's first batsman, Virender Sehwag, scored faster than any other batsman, let alone about a newbie, with 82 wounds per second. 100 balls before retiring ten years ago. And Duckett has scored 690 runs from 710 balls on a staggering 97 hits since his return — or 88 overall in his 10-Test career. .jpg» /> Duckett on his way to a comfortable 182 of 178 balls in Lord's Credit: PA/John Walton
Mind you, Stokes was in his debt. It was the last day in Rajkot, in the first leg of England's five Test series against India in November 2016. Duckett, who made a brave debut in Bangladesh, passed his third Test and England needed a quick run to make their mark. the perfect situation for a young rider to show off their kicks and get back on their feet.
Duckett's downgrading was no doubt well-intentioned, but completely wrong. Instead, Stokes came on at number 4 and scored 29 consecutive goals before England's (delayed) announcement. In the second Test, England's batsmen were ordered to block the final day for a tie, and Duckett's no-swings and no-backsweeps are half the batsman he would otherwise be. Both times Ravichandran Ashwin fired him on the cheap, and for the next six years he was thrown into the trash.
For his first home test at the age of 28, Duckett could not have dreamed of a friendlier pitch or friendlier bowling attack: at least in modern times, only Bangladesh in 2005 hosted such a sumptuous buffet, even a banquet, for English batsmen. in Lord. If Stokes had allowed his batsmen to 150 overs, England could have surpassed their Test record of 903 in 1938. 182 out of 178 balls, that wasn't bad.
Duckett dropped the ball eight times in six tests
In the afternoon, Sky reported the following astonishing statistic: Duckett, since his recall last December, has left the ball — missed it unplayed outside the stump — eight times. Eight times in six tests. Most England rookies over the centuries have left the ball many times more than eight times in every session.
The big question to be asked on 16 June is whether a batsman, especially a rookie who has to contend with new hard ball, succeed against Australia without leaving the ball more than once per match? If Duckett does this, it will be a first, but then there is no precedent in modern Test cricket.
And will the fast bowlers from Australia be able to throw the ball into the area Duckett least likes, full length, just outside the stump, to get him moving off his front foot as his strong bottom arm takes over? Irish bowlers, who have barely played red ball cricket since Covid except for a few tests, are not accustomed to bowling more than two or three balls in a row at the right place.
Duckett has it. for being a fast learner and also scoring points quickly. He started his career by standing on the stump of his leg and whipping everyone. He balanced himself to be equally prolific on both sides of the wicket. Can he continue this summer as he started, or did the Ashes dress rehearsal in England go too well?
In the opening scene of the latest Ashes series, Mitchell Stark throws the first ball at the first English left-hander batsman and bats Rory Burns at his feet. Duckett, of course, must continue to win back his shots, but he is allowed to leave the ball more than eight times in the entire series.
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