Ashes 2017/18: Five English cricketers to watch out for
England head Down Under to take on Australia and defend the Ashes title that they won on home soil in 2015. In the much-anticipated series beginning in Brisbane on 23rd October, the Barmy Army will have to be in top voice to give competition to the Australian home crowd.
England have announced their squad for the series and the reaction to the announcement was not positive, given the current situation surrounding the national team.
Ben Stokes, who was recently charged with physically assaulting an unnamed individual after a pub encounter, suffered a minor crack in his right hand. Pundits and officials still believe Stokes will be ready for the start of the tour.
England have selected a rather weak squad in the eyes of certain experts, including former captains like Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan, who believe that the top-order batting is where England might struggle and is an area where a chunk of their major problems lie.
With Australia’s formidable bowling attack, the English will need to put on a strong batting display over the course of the five Tests to thwart the Aussie threat.
We take a look at five English cricketers who are vital to their country’s chances of retaining the Ashes:
Craig Overton
Devon-born 23-year-old Craig Overton, an uncapped all-rounder, has been called up to the English national side to take on Australia.
The right-hander enjoyed a successful couple of seasons for Somerset in the English County league, scoring over 400 runs and picking more than 30 wickets in the 2015 season.
Boasting a strike-rate of just over 20, Overton bagged 43 wickets in the County Championship, earning himself a place in the Ashes squad for England.
Having received a call-up to the national setup in all formats of the game as a backup before, Overton, who is an explosive player with a reputation of mouthing off, could cause the Aussies some problems on their home soil.