Led by the ever-excellent James Anderson, England wrapped up a comfortable win – but the challenge of this winter’s subcontinental tours looms
George Dobell at Chester-le-Street30-May-2016In terms of the series, it was merely an irritation. But in terms of the long term, the Sri Lanka fightback in Durham should be a warning to England.It is that England could reach No. 1 in the Test rankings by the end of the summer, were they to beat Pakistan convincingly and if Sri Lanka defeat Australia at home later this year (which looks most unlikely).But, even if that happens, if they have any intention of remaining at No. 1 for more than a moment, they are going to have to learn to perform better on these sorts of pitches. Pitches which offer little seam or swing assistance. Pitches which lack pace. Pitches which offer more help for spinners than seamers. Pitches which they will encounter often this winter.By the end of the year, England will have contested Test series in India and Bangladesh. And, as this match wore on, it provided a glimpse of the challenges England will face in conditions where their natural strengths are negated.That India tour, in particular, looks like a huge challenge. Most of the architects of the 2012 success – Graeme Swann, Kevin Pietersen and Monty Panesar – have gone (Panesar has recently returned to first-class cricket but is some way from being considered for England selection) and, at this stage, it is hard to see their replacements having the same impact.Most of all, England have an issue with their spin bowling. We saw in the UAE during England’s 2-0 defeat to Pakistan that good batsmen with great experience of playing in such conditions can put Moeen Ali under pressure. And we saw here that, even on a pitch offering significant turn on the fourth day, batsmen were able to attack him to the extent that he conceded 4.85 runs per over.The sight of Rangana Herath hitting Moeen for 23 runs from the 31 balls he received from him was particularly uncomfortable. Herath, a No. 8 batsman of few pretensions, should have found life difficult in these conditions. With the ball spinning away from his bat – he is a left-hander – and foot marks for Moeen to aim at, the bowler had plenty of weapons.
England could be encouraged by the first-innings bowling of Chris Woakes and by the continued progress of Alex Hales as an opening batsmen
But Moeen was unable to put the ball in right place often enough to create pressure. There were several good balls and some fortune for a batsman prepared to take a chance. But there were also too many release balls and while Herath, in his brief spell later in the day, was able to get the ball to spit and bounce, Moeen gained more predictable turn.He not only rarely threatened but was unable to provide the holding role his side required. He didn’t by any means bowl badly; it was more that in conditions where he might have been expected to flourish, he was instead punished. Life in India, against some of the best batsmen in the world in such conditions, will be even tougher.To be fair to Moeen, he was not helped – he has often not been helped – by the standard of wicketkeepers he has played alongside. Jonny Bairstow is clearly an improving keeper, but his performance standing up to the stumps remains uncomfortably fallible. Given England’s heavy victory, it may soon be forgotten that he missed a stumping opportunity off Angelo Mathews here but it will not have gone unnoticed by the team management.In the series in India, where England’s spinners may struggle to create chances, it is essential that any offered are taken. If Virat Kohli or Cheteshwar Pujara are given an early life, they could make England pay by forcing them to field for an extra five sessions.In Bairstow’s favour is the fact that, as Yorkshire keeper, he has enjoyed plenty of experience of keeping to England’s probable second spinner in India, Adil Rashid. But England are taking a huge chance if they rely upon Bairstow in conditions where he will be expected to stand up to the stumps for much of the day.There are still questions to answer by Stuart Broad in Asia, too. While he is a much improved bowler from the last time England played Tests in India, where he was dropped before the end of the 2012 tour, he does average 39.45 runs per wicket in Asia compared to a career average of 28.37.And there are still some holes in England’s top-order batting. The decision to name the same 12 for Lord’s as soon as this match was over provides one last chance for Nick Compton to demonstrate that he can prosper at this level. It also banishes any speculation and allows him – and Steven Finn, who looked some way off the pace on the fourth day – to prepare without looking over their shoulders or enduring a week of media speculation.It will be a disappointment to the likes of Scott Borthwick, who must be pressing hard by now. But he may console himself with the knowledge that, if and when his chance does come again, he will – like Compton – be given a proper opportunity to prove himself.England were grateful for the continuing excellence of James Anderson in unfavourable conditions•PA PhotosThere was encouragement here, too. Of course there was. In a nine-wicket win that clinches a series success, England could be encouraged by the first-innings bowling of Chris Woakes – though he bowled too short in the second innings – and by the continued progress of Alex Hales as an opening batsmen. In the seam bowling, at least, there looks to be some depth.Most of all, England could take delight in the continuing excellence of James Anderson. Despite a surface offering him nothing and two dropped chances – Bairstow put down an inside edge offered by Chandimal on 69 and James Vince made a horrid mess of a tricky chance offered by Herath on 46 – Anderson claimed his third five-wicket haul of the series. He is now one of just six men to have claimed 450 Test wickets; only two of them have reached the landmark more quickly.That might have been a temptation from some to downplay his 10-wicket haul in Leeds on the basis that conditions favoured him., just as there might be a temptation to downplay his place on the all-time wickets tally due to the increased number of Tests modern cricketers play or a temptation to define him as a green-track bully.But such a conclusion ignores his performance on the 2012 tour of India, when MS Dhoni referred to him as “the difference between the sides”. It ignores his performance in the 2010-11 Ashes and the first innings of each of the 2013-14 Ashes. It ignores his two Test series in the UAE and it ignores his performance here. It ignores the key role he has played in victories home and away and the resilience he has shown on days when his colleagues have gone missing in action.This pitch – low and slow and dusty by the end – was the sort to break a swing bowler’s heart. But Anderson redoubled his efforts, used all his skill and experience, and won yet another game for his team. To concede just 58 runs out of a total of 475 underlines his control and threat. By contrast, Woakes conceded 103 runs and bowled only two more deliveries.Anderson and his captain, at least, continue to provide hope for England when they depart for India. But if they want to be the best team in the world, there is a huge amount of improvement that has to be made.
