This England side has at its core an engaging innocence, a sense that they are largely unscarred by previous cliques or defeats, that they are enjoying the travel and training, a sense of a side at the beginning, not the end.
George Dobell in Barbados01-May-2015Not so long ago, in the summer of 1989, England used 29 players for an Ashes series. The previous summer, they had utilised four captains in five Tests.There were times – even more recently – when it appeared that captains had made decisions about new players even before they played their first game. Think of Mike Smith or Darren Pattinson.The result was an unhealthy culture. A culture of insecurity and self-interest where players looked out for themselves and new players were seen as a threat. Knowledge was jealously guarded and, knowing the axe always hovered, England often played fearful, nervous cricket. For rather too much of the late 1980s and 90s, England were not very good at Test cricket.That has changed. England have now embraced a continuity of selection policy that has allowed players more opportunity to settle into the team and created a more stable environment. While some players – Graham Onions and Nick Compton among them – probably do have reason to count themselves unfortunate, such examples have become the exception rather than the norm.To see Jimmy Anderson showing Chris Woakes how to bowl the wobble ball, or to see Ian Bell advising Moeen Ali on bowling his off-breaks more quickly, is to see a squad helping one another, sharing knowledge and benefiting from a stable environment.There is something quietly impressive developing within this England squad. Young batsmen enjoy one another’s success; young bowlers work together in the nets. As Gary Ballance put it after training on Thursday “everyone is focused on trying to win the game; not how they stay in the side”. It was not always this way.Perhaps such spirit will be snuffed out by Australia or New Zealand. Perhaps it will be lost as players grow older and more tired and cynical. There is no denying that the challenges will grow far more substantial.And it is intriguing that England are already preparing for a bombardment of short balls from Australia. In the nets, they are using lighter balls which bouncer higher and do not cause the same impact injuries. News that such thoughts already occupy the minds of England batsmen will not displease Australia.But they will find a different opposition this time. While the England team in Australia in 2013-14 was clearly beset by factions and agendas, this side has at its core an engaging innocence. A sense that they are largely unscarred by previous cliques or defeats, a sense that they are enjoying the travel and training, a sense of a side at the beginning, not the end.There may be a downside to continuity. It can prevent the progression of new players and it could create complacency among the well-established. But with a critical press pack and ever-vigilant social media, it seems unlikely any modern player could really be allowed to coast.There is scrutiny on Jonathan Trott, in particular. Previous regimes – those of the 1980s and 90s – would surely have dispensed with him already. But Cook and co recall how reliable Trott used to be and retain faith in him. There were signs of progress in the first innings in Grenada but, realistically, it is now or never for Trott. While some minimise the quality of this West Indies side, to open against Jerome Taylor – a class act by any standards – and Shannon Gabriel, who is every bit as quick as any Australian bowler, is a decent test of any opening batsmen.While the tour has undoubtedly been frustrating for Adam Lyth, he can take some comfort in the knowledge that, when his chance comes, it will not be a one-off Test. If it comes, he will be given a series or two to prove himself. And that’s probably the way it should be.Time out of the team is not necessarily time wasted, anyway. Adil Rashid, for example, may have benefited from bowling at international batsmen every day and has started to implement changes – basically an increase in pace that does not dilute his flight or spin or accuracy – that should render him a far improved bowler.So it is understandable that England are inclined to play the same XI in Barbados as they did in Grenada. While Ben Stokes (back) and Ian Bell (index finger) are injury concerns, England are otherwise likely to ignore the dryness of a surface that is expected to offer more bounce and stick with Moeen Ali as the only frontline spinner. Liam Plunkett could come in for Stokes if he is deemed unfit.”The normal inclination is to go with the same team because you like to give people the confidence that they are not always playing for their place,” Cook said. “You get stability when you’re winning and everyone knows their role in the team. When you lose you start chasing things a bit and you chop and change.”West Indies are set to make a change or two, but without dealing with one of their fundamental problems. The four-man attack with which they persist is so demanding on their bowlers that it creates injuries and risks diluting their effectiveness.The most obvious contemporary example is that of Devendra Bishoo. In the course of bowling 59 overs in Grenada, he sustained a cut to his ring finger on his right hand, the finger with which he generates spin, and is an injury doubt. Veerasammy Permaul could become the third spinner West Indies have tried this series.Equally, though, the careers of Kemar Roach, Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor might be used as examples. All are bowlers of great talent but all have seen their careers blighted by injury in part, perhaps, due to the burden they have carried in their younger years. Roach is currently bowling well below top pace and looks likely to be dropped from the side. On these pitches, asking three seamers to rotate for a day-and-a-half in back-to-back Tests is impractical.The problem they have is that their batting line-up remains weak. They have not made 400 in their past six Tests; only twice have they reached 300 in the first innings. While they talk of playing bold, positive cricket here, they have neither the pitches nor the batsmen to enforce such talk.The series is not yet lost for West Indies, but it will take a tremendous effort to win on this surface against a side who have now won four of their past five Tests.
