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And what is the ideal opening combination now that Rory Burns is back?

Andrew Miller02-Feb-2021Related

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Who should open?Since making his debut at the end of 2018, Burns has established a reputation as the most durable of England’s Test openers of the post-Alastair Cook era. However, two centuries in 21 Tests and an average of 32.44 aren’t figures that demand an instant recall, and having chosen to sit out the Sri Lanka tour to attend the birth of his first daughter, Burns admitted last week that giving up his place came with risks.And yet, given the struggles of England’s incumbent openers in those two Galle Tests, the smart money would be on Burns slotting into his old berth, but at whose expense? Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley struggled horrifically on their Asian debuts, particularly against the new-ball spin of Lasith Embuldeniya, who exploited their combination of hard hands and lunging feet to undo them in seven innings out of eight, all told.And yet, the one innings that got away was a masterclass of mind over matter, as Sibley willed himself to endure in spite of his limitations, even adapting his technique mid-match to give himself more options for strike rotation, and grind his way to a priceless half-century. Crawley is highly rated by the management, and rightly so after his epic 267 against Pakistan in the summer, but on the basis of the Sri Lanka showing, he’s the likelier to have to make way.Vacancy at No.3 Jonny Bairstow contributed a top score of 47 in four innings in Sri Lanka, but even in the absence of a statement innings, he exuded an air of calm and competence at first drop (except when running between the wickets) to contribute to a pair of century stands and give the firm impression that he’s got over his hang-up about the wicketkeeper’s role, and is ready to become the frontline Test batsman that he’s always looked capable of being.But no sooner is he back in the side for the first time in more than a year, Bairstow is out on his ear again. The reasoning behind his resting from the first two India Tests is sound – as a key member of England’s T20 World Cup squad, he’ll need to be fresh and firing for the eight limited-overs games looming in March. However, the timing is broadly terrible, with no obvious replacement likely to make a case between now and Friday.There’s Crawley, of course. He averages 69.50 in four Tests at three and four, compared to 22.00 as an opener, but the challenge of Chennai is far removed from the Ageas Bowl, and given England’s issues further down the order, his presence might limit the scope for extra allrounders to balance the bowling attack. Ollie Pope is another contender, certainly in the long term – but he’ll be feeling his way back after injury and has rarely batted higher than No. 4 in his first-class career. Joe Root seems pathologically opposed to No. 3 too, but in the circumstances, and given his own resplendent form, he might be the obvious contender.One spinner or two? Chennai is renowned as a spin-friendly surface – only Galle has delivered more ten-wicket hauls for spinners in its Test history. However, there is reportedly more grass than usual on the pitch at this stage of its preparation, which may yet sway England’s thinking.Despite their combined haul of 22 wickets in Sri Lanka, Jack Leach and Dom Bess struggled for long periods in both Tests, particularly when the pitch was at its flattest in the opening exchanges of the second match, and either or both could well make way for Moeen Ali – now recovered from his bout of Covid-19, and seemingly eager to make up for lost time after 18 months away from Test cricket.As an offspinner (not to mention one of England’s most natural players of spin bowling) Ali would likely be a straight swap for Bess, whose consistency with the ball left much to be desired, but whose fighting spirit could not be denied, least of all with the bat – a not-insignificant consideration, given how crucial his two-hour 32 proved to be in the second Test. Leach, notwithstanding his legendary status as a nightwatchman, is not quite as equipped for survival in these conditions.Anderson and/or Broad Ali’s potential return also sharpens the debate about England’s all-round options, which in turn may inform one of the most crucial decisions of the series. With Stokes due to slot back in at No. 5, and Chris Woakes also on hand to deepen the seam-bowling-allrounder department, it is possible that England could field an XI with sufficient balance and depth to allow both of their stand-out seamers to play without placing too great a burden on either.Stuart Broad and James Anderson were simply magnificent in their alternating roles in Galle, proving incisive and restrictive in equal measure as they returned combined series figures of 57-27-80-9. After years of sniping about their lack of impact in unhelpful conditions, both men unfurled a full toolbox-worth of experience, chiselling their opportunities through a combination of stamina, consistency and subtle variation.Theirs were lessons that Woakes in particular seems equipped to heed, judging by his impact on placid decks in New Zealand and South Africa last winter, while Jofra Archer’s 90mph stylings have already been heavily informed by his impact at the IPL. As for Stokes, he is liable to hurtle in in whatever role is required of him. There is the potential for England to field a well-rounded attack, in spite of their lack of a nailed-on spin option.The danger with such an approach, of course, lies in the intensity of the itinerary, and the likelihood that India’s batsmen – fresh from their heroics in Australia, and reinforced by the return of Virat Kohli in particular – will make life significantly harder for England’s bowlers than Sri Lanka ever managed. Playing Broad and Anderson as a pairing would be the attacking option, but if it failed in the first Test, it might prove difficult for England to defend for the rest of the series.

Allrounder believes he could have batted like Ben Stokes given the chance to perform

George Dobell27-Sep-2021Moeen Ali knew the exact moment he had to retire from Test cricket. He had won a long-awaited recall to the England side and he was involved in a thrilling match at Leeds. But in that Test and the following one at The Kia Oval, he found himself unable to fully concentrate.It wasn’t that he didn’t care. Far from it. But, after a couple of years playing short-format cricket, he found he no longer had what it took to flourish in Test cricket. He just couldn’t, as he puts it, “get in the zone” anymore.”I felt like I was done, to be honest,” he says now. “I was hoping to play the last Test – there were a couple of milestones I wanted to pass – but once that game got called off, I realised that was it.”Headingley was a great win but I just found I couldn’t concentrate. I’ve played rash shots before and had poor games before. But I just felt like I wasn’t in it. I’ve never felt that before. It’s not that I didn’t want to perform, I just didn’t feel like I was fully wholeheartedly into it.”You try your best. I just found it really hard to get in the zone bowling, batting and in the field. And the more I tried, I just couldn’t do it. In the past when I came back into the team, it might take a bit of time but then I’m all in. But that series, I just couldn’t do it.”The atmosphere felt really good. It was really nice to be back in the dressing room. But I just found cricketing-wise it was a bit of a struggle.”The roots of the decision stretch back far further, though. Ever since Moeen lost his full central contract, at the end of the 2019 English summer, he started to feel disjointed from the Test squad. And without that contract to rely upon, he started to pursue franchise opportunities as more of a priority. He reflects now that it set him “on a different path” from the rest of the team.Moeen Ali celebrates after completing his hat trick against South Africa in 2017•Getty Images”That did break me a little bit,” he says of the decision not to give him a full central contract. “I felt like I had a poor game [at Edgbaston in 2019] and rightly got dropped. But I felt I was at my peak in my bowling to that point.”If you look back now, I didn’t play towards the back end of the World Cup. We then had a Test against Ireland in which I hardly bowled and then two days of training for the first Ashes Test. It rained on those days, so I bowled indoors.”So, I didn’t really get the preparation I would have liked and I didn’t bowl very well in that game. But I felt like I was still at the peak of my bowling. Prior to that, I was bowling better than I ever had in Test cricket.”And then I didn’t get a contract. I had asked for a break and was told it was because they weren’t sure how much I was going to play. It was very disappointing at the time. So I looked to crack on and play franchise cricket.”But then it possibly took too long to make my way back into the team. I didn’t play enough first-class cricket and by the time I did get back into the team for that one Test in Chennai, I was on a different path.”I don’t think I lost interest in Test cricket but I think I lost the ability to do it as best as you can.”There was part of me thinking about the Ashes this winter. I would have loved to go back and do well because last time I didn’t do so well. But I just felt like I couldn’t do it for that long. It’s such a long trip if I’m not ‘in it’. If I felt like I did in India when I was out there, then I would probably retire after one match. So it’s done.”He admits he will miss it. In particular, he knows he will miss that sense of delighting a full-house crowd.Moeen Ali was dropped during the 2019 Ashes after a tough time at Edgbaston•Getty Images”Test cricket is amazing,” he says. “When you’re doing well, or when you have a good day, it is a better feeling than any other format of the game by far. It is more rewarding and you feel like you’ve earned it. Very rarely do you bowl poorly and get five wickets or play poorly and get a hundred. You’ve done something really well.”The hat-trick at the Oval and the 2015 Ashes are probably the highlights for me. There’s been some really good moments but I think they’re the two that really stand out.”I enjoyed being a crowd pleaser. When you hit a boundary, like a nice cover drive, and the crowd appreciate it… The buzz you get at Lord’s – that noise – is completely different to anywhere else in the world. And the noise at Edgbaston is also something I’ll definitely miss.”But the best was when I batted at Old Trafford against South Africa in 2017 [Moeen made an unbeaten 75 from 66 balls]. I was just trying to play a lot of shots and it was coming off. The crowd was going mad and my son was old enough to understand the songs. After that day he really loved cricket.”I’ve had some amazing support. But the one group of fans that I would definitely praise is the Barmy Army. There was a time where I wasn’t playing so well, and throughout the whole day they just kept singing my name and trying to encourage me. They were always on your side, no matter what. They are an amazing group of supporters; they are the heartbeat of Test cricket in England.”Moeen Ali claimed 195 Test wickets with his offspin•Getty ImagesWith the ball, Moeen is fulfilled. Indeed, he accepts he has probably overachieved for a player who grew up identifying as a batter who bowled a little. But, while he is keen not to dwell on regrets, he admits there is a sense of “wasted” potential over his batting.”Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would get so many,” Moeen says of his 195 Test wickets. “I remember hitting 50 Test wickets; it seemed amazing. But, from a bowling point of view, I felt like I could, with my best ball, get anybody out. That was a really good feeling. And it’s always nice when you get the top players out. I’m really proud of that.”And with the bat… well, initially, at least I always had that feeling that I was trying to score a hundred. And I used to love that feeling, because that really made me feel like a batsman.”But then I was in a team as a bowler and I concentrated on my bowling more in practice. I didn’t practice my batting as much. I look back and think I could have done better.”That century in my second Test [against Sri Lanka at Leeds in 2014] was my best by far. I didn’t even look at my bowling at that time. I just thought if I get a few overs, happy days. But my mindset with the bat was different. I was myself as a batter.”I feel a little bit wasted batting down the order. It’s not easy. I moved up and down the order such a lot. I think anybody would be quite unstable at times.

“I do feel like my batting was a little bit wasted. I could have done better than I’ve done. I feel like I could have scored more Test hundreds, for sure”

“I just remember when we played New Zealand [at Lord’s in 2015] and Ben Stokes had that amazing Test. I’d been batting at No. 6 and he was No. 8. I think I’d scored 60-odd in my last Test at No. 6 in Barbados. But Alastair Cook said, ‘look, I know you’re playing well, but we’re going to swap things around because we think Stokesy can do more.’ It was disappointing. I wouldn’t say I knew it was the right decision.”Obviously Stokesy turned out to be an amazing player. But I sometimes feel, maybe, that could have been me if I was given a bit more of a run there. I would have loved to bat up the order more. I didn’t always have the temperament or the technique but I certainly feel if I’d been given a run somewhere for a while I’d have been fine.”I do feel like my batting was a little bit wasted. I could have done better than I’ve done. I feel like I could have scored more Test hundreds, for sure. I could have scored a lot more runs.”But maybe it was the reason I played so many Tests. If I’d [just] batted at No. 6 and not done well, I would probably have been dropped. So being an all-rounder, being someone who would do whatever was best for the team, is the reason I’ve played 60 Tests. It’s more than I ever thought I’d play.Moeen Ali scored five Test centuries in his 64 Tests•Getty Images”It’s always nice when you look back and think I did do a lot more for the team then probably another guy. It’s fine. I feel like I was wasted but wasted in a good way.”Such regrets are few and far between. Instead, Moeen’s conversation is littered with happy memories and people to whom he owes thanks. With no social media platform of his own – he gave that up after the criticism of his performances in the 2017-18 Ashes started to play on his mind – Moeen is making the announcement of his decision to retire from Test cricket to a couple of media outlets (ESPNcricinfo and the Guardian) and requests only the inclusion of some personal thank yous in return.Among them are his coaches, Chris Silverwood, Trevor Bayliss and, in particular, Peter Moores, who demonstrated such belief in him. His captains, Cook and Joe Root, are also thanked, while his “brothers and sister” are praised for “supporting no matter what”. His wife is also credited for her “support and patience”.”They always wanted to try to lift me up and do well,” he says of his family. “Everything I did I did for those guys.”Related

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• 'Taking a break could prolong my Test career' – Moeen Ali

But it is the enormity of the sacrifices his parents made, the couple who went without food to ensure he had every opportunity to excel at cricket, which have left the most lasting impression.”My parents are number one,” Moeen says. “Without their support there is no way I’d have made it on the journey they took me on. I know that, deep down, they’re really proud of me. The sacrifices they made were amazing. Every game I played was for them.”Moeen’s career will always have a wider significance, though. His preparedness to speak about his faith, and act as a role-model for the British Muslims, may well endure after memories of his batting and bowling dim.”I did feel like you there was a bigger purpose for me than just batting and bowling,” he says. “There was a purpose of trying to inspire others. It’s a big thing, but it didn’t feel like a burden.”When I was doing well, it was great. It would be ‘Moeen is a role model’ but when things weren’t so good it was highlighted a bit more. From the moment I wore those Palestinian wristbands, it would break out to be bigger news than intended. But that’s a proud moment for me, really. I didn’t mean it to happen, but I did wear them to increase awareness.”I hope things will be easier for the next British Muslim. And I think they will be, too. It always takes somebody to inspire you or say ‘if he can do it, so can I’. I certainly felt that way when I saw Hashim Amla when I first saw him on TV. There were guys at Warwickshire who played before me who made it easier. Ravi [Bopara] made it easy for me to get used to the England environment on a different level.”It does take a little spark and hopefully I’ve provided that. I’d love one day, in 10 years’ time, somebody to say ‘Moeen made it easier for me’.”So, even though I feel like I could have done better, I’m really pleased. For someone from where I’ve come from… I am really happy and content with how I did.”

A new book reveals that the history of the revered ground contains plenty of prejudice and politicking

George Dobell27-Jun-2021A squabble over the leasehold value of disused railways tunnels wouldn’t appear to have the ingredients for a gripping story. Nor do many of the protagonists of this tale make for especially sympathetic characters. Really, if you want a summary of the saga, imagine a fracas in St John’s Wood high street featuring lots of braying, blazered old men interspersed with cries of “He’s not worth it, Tarquin.”But so well researched is Charles Sale’s book, so broad the range of interviews and so remarkable his access to source material, that this is, against all the odds, a compelling read.It will not be for everyone, but if you want an in-depth understanding of the MCC and Lord’s, it really is required reading. It’s or without the shoulder pads and glamour.Our soap opera begins in earnest in November 1999. Railtrack, which controlled the UK’s railway infrastructure at the time, was looking to sell assets, and offered the MCC the opportunity to buy the tunnels that run under part of the Nursery Ground. Those tunnels include 179 metres along the Wellington Road side of Lord’s (where the Nursery pavilion is currently situated) and about 38 metres into the ground. The MCC controls, via lease, only the top 18 inches of that land. Railtrack wanted £1.75m for it.But the MCC, having recently overspent on the media centre (a building that seems to be admired far more by those who don’t have to work in it), had an overdraft of around £15m and were uncomfortable with further borrowing. As a result, they dithered.Railtrack took the land to auction, where the MCC stopped bidding at £2.35m and Charles Rifkind, a barrister turned property developer, prevailed with a bid of £2.35m. It was perhaps the most expensive error in the history of the club.Related

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Rifkind’s dream was to work with the MCC to develop a “Vision for Lord’s”. This involved a residential development on the strip of land along the Wellington Road (and at the opposite end of the ground, behind the pavilion), which would realise somewhere around £400m to enable the MCC to update its own facilities. At various times there were plans to use the tunnels as an underground nets area as well as to provide more space to the neighbouring Wellington Hospital. Crucially, the proposals allowed for the retention of the Nursery Ground as a decent-sized venue for fixtures below first-class level.But some at the MCC were unconvinced. Perhaps they didn’t like the plans; perhaps they simply didn’t like Rifkind. But 20 years later, the “vision” remains unfulfilled and the relationship between the protagonists has become increasingly fractious. It is unclear how or when the MCC is going to fund the next phase of the redevelopment of a ground whose reputation sometimes outstrips its reality. tells this story. Sale, the former sports writer, has been granted access to a remarkable amount of evidence – including plans, emails, letters and minutes of meetings – which, combined with his diligent efforts to talk to the protagonists (more than 60 interviewees are thanked in the acknowledgements) furnishes an almost dizzying level of detail. It might sound prosaic, but Sale does such a terrific job of presenting it that the end result is a real page-turner.Is it a fair account? Oliver Stocken, the former MCC chair, is portrayed in such a dim light that you can almost imagine him wearing a cape and finishing every sentence with a roar of “Mhawahaaa.” Rifkind, by contrast, is generally seen as a man whose amiable determination is undimmed despite the wrongs inflicted upon him. You suspect such characterisations do not allow for shades of grey.

It is unclear how or when the MCC is going to fund the next phase of the redevelopment of a ground whose reputation sometimes outstrips its reality

As a window into the committee rooms at Lord’s, the book is devastating. While the MCC executive – especially the chief executives – are portrayed as diligent, honest and well-meaning, it feels from this book as if they are tethered to a committee system that is, at its best, cumbersome, and at its worst, fuelled by prejudices and self-importance. Some of those mentioned sound utterly ghastly, and some far less attractive than that. The voice of reason – the likes of former prime minister John Major – are effectively silenced.And that takes us to the two most serious claims made by Sale. The first is that some of the resistance to Rifkind, who is Jewish, was inspired by anti-Semitism and the second that the recent redesign of the Compton and Edrich stands was motivated, in part, by “spite”, as Rifkind puts it.That first claim is strong. But while Lord Grabiner (who is quoted as calling Stocken a “f****** c***” in one meeting), says, “I’m sure MCC were very determined to protect their original bad decision and to make sure the Jew would not make any money out of this”, and Sir Simon Robertson (former chair of Rolls Royce) says, “… there was a whiff of anti-Semitism; no question”, it is not a line of attack that feels entirely convincing.But the second one? Well, such is the footprint of the new stands that they encroach heavily on to the area previously taken up by the Nursery Ground. As a result, if the club has any intention of keeping that area as a cricket ground – and it insists it does – there is no room to build on the land owned by Rifkind.Mensch PublishingStocken himself is quoted as admitting that it was a tactical move by the club. Even more plain are the words of Blake Gorst, the former chairman of estates and long-time MCC committee member, who says there’s no denying that the extra width of the new Compton and Edrich stands was a blocking tactic against Rifkind. “It means that to keep the Nursery End as a cricket pitch, we will have to put the boundary at the edge of the leasehold land. That will put an end to any development at that end of the ground.”And that, perhaps, is the overriding message of this book. While Lord’s is a wonderful ground in many ways, there is more than a touch of hubris about the oft-repeated claim that it is, immutably, “the best ground in the world”. Anyone claiming this has not, presumably, been to Adelaide or Sydney recently. Whisper it quietly, Lord’s may not be the best ground in London.Equally, for all the self-satisfaction of those on the myriad committees, they have made some wretched decisions over the years. Look at the houses bordering the ground that were sold for £50,000, subsequently bought back for £8.5m, and are currently worth £4m. Look at the recent £25m redevelopment of the Warner Stand, which still resulted in dozens of seats with restricted visibility. Look, most of all, at the D’Oliveira affair. Really, you wonder why they are so pleased with themselves.The last word goes to a little known committee member who, quite early in the farce, makes a point his colleagues would have done well to heed. “The committee must focus on what the club wishes to achieve rather than blocking RLP [Rifkind’s company] in what they wish to achieve,” Jonathan Wileman is quoted as saying.Sale provides a compelling argument the latter was the primary motive. The Covers Are Off – Civil War at Lord’s
by Charles Sale
Mensch, £20

“It’s about going out there, trying to enjoy ourselves, and trying to hit as many sixes as we can and taking as many wickets as we can”

Aadam Patel19-Nov-2021For Liam Livingstone, it has been a breakthrough year, and a year that has also seen him clock up the air miles. From cementing his place as a regular within the England white-ball set-up to plying his trade in franchise leagues around the world, the 28-year-old has represented England, Lancashire, Birmingham Phoenix, Rajasthan Royals, Peshawar Zalmi and Perth Scorchers over the last 12 months.And now his whirlwind year will culminate with his first experience of the T10 format, as captain of Team Abu Dhabi, before heading home for Christmas – he will be with his family for the first time in four years.The Abu Dhabi T10 gets underway on Friday evening, and although it is a new format for Livingstone, it should fit his explosive power-hitting ability to the tee.Related

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“I’ve never played T10, so I don’t really know what to expect,” Livingstone said. “Everybody says it’s a great competition, and as somebody that plays the game the way I do, I think it’s something that’s going to suit my game down to the ground. I’m not somebody that ever puts too much pressure on myself to go out and perform. It’s about going out there, trying to enjoy ourselves, and trying to hit as many sixes as we can and taking as many wickets as we can, and I’ll certainly be encouraging all the other boys to play the game the same way.”After the jam-packed English summer, Livingstone flew out to the UAE for the IPL before joining up with the England squad for the T20 World Cup. It has been a year of constant movement from bubble to bubble and hotel room to hotel room for Livingstone, and he used the few days between England’s World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand and the start of the Abu Dhabi T10 to get away from cricket, and do things many cricketers haven’t been able to recently – seeing his friends and family, and going to restaurants in Dubai.”I’ve played a lot of cricket over the last three or four months. So I don’t really think I needed the prep time that the lads coming in would have needed,” he said. “I think the biggest priority for me was to get away from cricket for a couple of days and refresh my mind more than anything else.”

“If you told me 12 months ago that I’d play every game for England in a World Cup, I wouldn’t have believed you. So yeah, it was disappointing for a night, but I guess it was more the satisfaction of how far I’ve come and how far my game has developed”Livingstone on England’s loss to New Zealand at the T20 World Cup

In fact, Livingstone will only be out of his required quarantine on Friday afternoon, just in time for Abu Dhabi’s first match against Bangla Tigers.That agonising loss to New Zealand was “devastating”, but for Livingstone, it is a matter of recognising how far he has come. “If you told me 12 months ago that I’d play every game for England in a World Cup, I wouldn’t have believed you. So yeah, it was disappointing for a night,” he said. “But I guess it was more the satisfaction of how far I’ve come and how far my game has developed, and I guess how much the hard work that I’ve put in travelling around the world for the last three or four years has probably paid off for me and got me to where I wanted to go.”I fulfilled a childhood dream to represent my country in any sport. For me, the reflections were more about how far I’ve come. And yeah, I guess the opportunities that we’ve got as a team going forward is that we get a chance to redeem ourselves in 12 months’ time [in the T20 World Cup in Australia], and that’s the exciting part for us.”Another exciting prospect for Livingstone is the mantle of responsibility that has been placed upon him as the leader of the Abu Dhabi outfit, and he insisted that he had learnt a great deal from playing under various captains across the world, but that it was still a job he would look to do his own way.”When you play under people like Morgs [Eoin Morgan], you realise that being pretty relaxed and backing your team-mates is probably ultimately the biggest strength you can have as a captain,” Livingstone said. “I’ll certainly do it my own way. It’ll be a little bit different in T10 cricket than in T20, but I’ll keep encouraging the boys to take the game on and to play some entertaining cricket.”Livingstone on opportunities in leagues: “Those experiences and chatting to people, you can’t really buy that time and that knowledge”•BCCIWith the amount of balls in the T10 format halved from that in a T20, looking to attack from ball one is even more crucial, and that is a change that Livingstone must make. “Usually, I’ll have a look at three, four or five balls before we start going. I guess in T10 we’ll have a look at one and then off we go,” he said.He is second only to Glenn Phillips with the most sixes in the world (86) in T20 cricket in 2021, and over a four-month period from November 2019 to March 2020, Livingstone played more T20s than anyone else.”Those experiences and chatting to people, you can’t really buy that time and that knowledge,” he said. “I’ve always said that one of the biggest things of franchise cricket is the time spent with the world’s greats that you usually wouldn’t get. It’s still pretty cool for me and it’s probably even cooler for the younger boys that haven’t played that much cricket.”Team Abu Dhabi is full of players from around the world, including Chris Gayle, and the fact that Livingstone would be leading Gayle is a cause for some excitement for him.”It’s pretty cool. He’s been a hero of mine growing up, and I guess he’s probably changed the way that T20 cricket was played,” Livingstone said of Gayle. “He’s one of the best – if not the best – T20 player that’s ever lived. It’s somebody that I’ve watched so much growing up, and I admire the way he strikes a cricket ball, so it’ll be pretty cool to be out in the middle with him at some point during the tournament.”Gayle holds the record for the fastest hundred in T20 cricket, whilst Livingstone hit England’s fastest century during the home summer this year. There is every chance that one of them could become the first T10 centurion over the next fortnight too.