England Delay Team Reveal for Upcoming Twenty20 Match as Weather Force Inside Training
The English side's training sessions for a warm, arid T20 World Cup in the subcontinent in the coming month led them on Wednesday to a chilly, rainy Auckland, where they were forced to conduct the last practice run before their third game against New Zealand inside. The purpose isn't always clear what role these two-team contests fulfill, what useful lessons could possibly be gained – but on this occasion, for at least a squad member, that is not an issue.
Tom Banton's New Role: Starting Batsman to Middle Order
Tom Banton says he is “still learning now”, and if it is the type of statement often repeated even by players who have already reached the pinnacle of their game, in his situation it is undeniably true. After building his name as a frontline hitter, primarily as an opener, Banton now occupies a totally new role, coming in at the middle order. “I didn't have too many discussions,” he said. “They simply brought me back into the squad and informed me, ‘You’re going to bat in the middle order now.’”
Before his recall in June, the vast majority of Banton’s 162 professional T20 appearances had been as an opener, a further portion at No3 and the rest – but for a brief stint at seventh spot in a T20 Blast game previously – at No 4. If the team plan to keep him in this altered role he needs every possible opportunity to become accustomed to it, and he has figured out one thing: “Playing down the order,” he surmised, “is a lot harder than starting the innings.”
Varied Performances in New Zealand
The player noted that “sometimes where it works well and it looks great and other times where it fails”, and the initial matches of the tour in New Zealand have featured one of each. In the opener, he lasted a few deliveries and made nine runs before holing out to the deep fielder; in the next game, he faced a dozen balls, scored 29, and finished unbeaten.
Thoughts on Comeback and Development
The current series has witnessed Banton come back to the country in which he first played for his country in late 2019. Since then, he moved away of the team, had a short comeback in recently and then passed more than three years in the sidelines before returning for Harry Brook’s first T20 as England captain. “During the journey, it was weird,” he said. “Time has passed when I started internationally. Seems a lot has happened in that period. I've discovered a lot about myself. The few years after I got dropped from England was a tough time for me. I had a couple of years stretch where I was finding my way.”
Backing from Team Management
Currently, he has been given a fresh challenge to tackle. Banton is grateful to have been offered a return, and also for Brendon McCullum’s skill to put him at ease while he figures out how best to grasp it. “The coach approached me before [Monday’s second T20] and said, ‘Go out and express yourself.’ It's reassuring to have that liberty,” Banton said. “I realize it’s only a small thing someone says, but it gives me the backing that if it doesn't work, it’s not the end of the world. It is so minor but for me it’s, ‘Alright, I’ve got the approval from the head coach and I can step up and perform.’”
Shift in Location and Team Selection
Following the initial matches of the contest at the South Island ground, a venue with expansive playing area, the visitors finish the series on Thursday at Eden Park, a dual-purpose sports facility where the field edge at 55m is among the shortest in the world. With uncertain weather and an new location they have dropped their usual practice of announcing their lineup two days in advance while they determine if their ideal XI for this match will be the same as the side that began the earlier fixtures.
Upcoming Changes for One-Day Matches
Next, they travel to Mount Maunganui and shift attention to one-day internationals, with a slightly amended team: three players are omitted, while Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jamie Smith join the squad. Most newcomers arrived in the city on the same day but the timing of the bowler's Ashes preparations means he will arrive later, travelling with Mark Wood and Josh Tongue, fast bowlers who are also preparing for the Tests in Australia but are not in the white-ball squad. Consequently he will be absent for the first match at the venue, the ground where he was racially abused on his only previous appearance, in 2019.
