Forget Ian Botham, it's time for England to create new stars
Unlike in India where cricketers are extremely marketable, footballers are overwhelmingly the darlings of the media in England, leaving the former out in the cold. For instance, can you imagine Ian Bell advertising mobile phones as Virat Kohli has done? And come to think of it, do you even know who Bell’s girlfriend is?
You may quip: "So what? Who cares what they can or cannot do beyond the realms of their job description?" But believe it or not, image matters. And as cricket tries harder and harder to sell itself in Britain, England are still unsure of what sort of image they want to project.
Players gifted with personality has allowed them to double-up as salesmen over the years. Consider Ian Botham - one of the few England cricketers who had the “x-factor”. As a competitor he was ferocious, aggressive and irrepressible, but he ultimately offered so much more. "Beefy" had national appeal. Everyone knew who he was, in fact they still do. Legendary tales are still told of his time at Somerset with Sir Vivian Richards, where the pair would turn up for Sunday League games and engage in six-hitting contests, running was too tough an ordeal apparently.
And on the pitch, Botham was of similar box-office standing. With the blade he was a true swashbuckler whose lusty blows and fearless demeanour thrilled all, and with the ball, well, being England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker until this year speaks for itself. A fast bowler who tonked 14 international hundreds – you won’t find many of them.
Botham was the naughty boy who sold tickets that came with an entertainment guarantee, Andrew Flintoff had those traits about him too, and it's unsurprising that fans are keen for England's next brash all-rounder to emerge as their new people's champion. Time will tell if they have someone who ticks those boxes in Ben Stokes, but the truth is, England need to focus on what each player brings to the table, rather than holding out for another poster boy superhero. While reminiscing over the golden days is delightful, it achieves little.
Efficiency over flamboyance
An injection of charisma is indeed required, however, it can’t be a deal breaker – an efficient team is worth far more than one full of mavericks. Any team under Alastair Cook’s premiership will radiate doggedness over flamboyance, and that should be celebrated. Whether or not you disagree with the side’s treatment of Kevin Pietersen, at 34, he is not England’s future and ushering in the new breed is a much more productive strategy than whingeing about somebody who will be retired in three or four years anyway.
No, the only culture England should be projecting is one of winning at all costs. Find 11 men who can dedicate themselves to that cause and the rest will naturally slot into place, providing they have the ability, of course.
Ability. Yes, any side longs for spades of that but limitations must be appreciated as well. The global supply of fast bowling all-rounders has always been quite limited – up there with gold and platinum one would imagine – and having a Botham, Flintoff or Jacques Kallis in the ranks isn’t always possible. But it’s a myth that they are even necessary for success in the first place. A batting number six who can turn his arm, along with a bowling number eight who isn’t allergic to the bat can capably bolster the lower middle-order.
It’s a symptom of modern cricket, particularly in the one-day formats, that most of the team now has to pull double, if not triple-duty. There are very few hapless tail-enders nowadays and more and more batsmen are indulging in dibbly-dobbly bowling or sending down tweakers – even if they often do end up delivering utter filth. And after all that, everyone is expected to throw themselves around the field saving runs.
However, that does not mean the role of the traditional all-rounder is defunct, just that England should be more open-minded about who they opt for, flexibility is the key. There are plenty on the domestic circuit who could slot into the aforementioned sixth and eighth spots, and as they develop, perhaps they could even switch around. While Stokes and Moeen Ali are currently in the mix, much talent is snapping at the heels.
Willey and the Overtons – England’s new talents
David Willey is one of the newcomers selected for England’s upcoming one-day international series against New Zealand. The 25-year-old is swiftly building a reputation for his attacking instincts and he was instrumental in Northamptonshire’s triumph at Twenty20 Finals Day in 2013 – England’s county showpiece event. His batting and bowling averages hover around 30 in first-class cricket and while he lags behind a touch with the willow in one-day cricket, he oozes potential and has been awarded the chance to impress.
Another two interesting cases are twin brothers Jamie and Craig Overton who play their cricket at Somerset – the same county that saw Botham flourish. Jamie is regarded as one of the country’s best pace bowling prospects and when in the groove can regularly exceed 90 miles per hour – something which has attracted the attention of the England Lions. A growing penchant for batting was demonstrated against reigning county champions Yorkshire in Taunton in May though, where he smacked the fastest-ever recorded 50 by a number 11 batsman in just 18 balls. With three first-class 50s to his name and an impressive 91 strike-rate, in time the 21-year-old may fit into the Tim Southee mould.
Craig is more of a recognised batsman but his bowling improvements are extremely promising. A haul of 12 wickets from the pacer in his last two county matches and a half-century to boot mark a strong start to the season. The brothers are still raw and relatively inexperienced, but watching their progress along with Willey’s should be fascinating. Should they stay fit, the trio could well have lengthy international careers ahead of them.
England are hardly faced with a drought of up-and-comers in the next decade, there are many out there who could do them a service. Instead of setting demands they would do well to scout the prospects and nurture what they are being offered. Who cares if they aren’t the next Ian Botham? In 30 years, the hope should be to have children growing up wanting to be the next Ben Stokes, David Willey or Overton brother.
Forget the past England and embrace the future. It is time to create new heroes.