The Overtons are 32 now, but their competitive spirit is as strong as ever. “We spoke a little bit straight after the game,” Craig told Cricinfo. “He [Jamie] said, ‘That was a bit of a top edge,’ which it probably was, a little bit – but I’m not sure it was as much of a top edge as he thought it was. When he bowls [with] that sort of pace, a little bit of bat can go a long way.”
“It’s still a bit of a blur, really. Those sorts of games don’t happen very often,” he said. “It was 40 [39] off two, and it’s just swing from ball one, and try to face every ball… I got a few away, managed to stay on strike for all 11 balls at the end, and it came off. It’s been a great couple of weeks, and hopefully that form can continue.”
He is enjoying the benefits of a rare full winter off, forced by double hernia surgery late last year. “I was hoping to be fit for the SA20, but I wasn’t quite ready,” he said. “Sometimes the body needs a bit of a break, and it probably came at a good time… I had the whole winter to work on a few things.”
“I’ve worked on my hand positions, keeping them closer to my body so I’m not leaning over as much. I had a habit of falling over [to the off side] and getting hit on the pad or bowled, which is pretty common for tall guys. It’s taken a while to figure out what works for me, but it seems to have clicked”
Craig Overton on his improvement as a batter
Stuck in Taunton, Overton focused on his batting, and his balance specifically. “I’ve worked on my hand positions, keeping them closer to my body so I’m not leaning over as much. I had a habit of falling over [to the off side] and getting hit on the pad or bowled, which is pretty common for tall guys. It’s taken a while to figure out what works for me, but it seems to have clicked.”
He is right. When Stokes missed four Tests in 2024, England picked Chris Woakes at No. 7 as one of five frontline bowlers; in their last two Tests without Stokes, they picked an extra batter.
Other options in the same role are thin on the ground: Sam Curran is the most compelling, though has struggled with injuries this summer; George Hill (Yorkshire) and Ekansh Singh (Kent) have played for England Lions but seem a way off Test cricket. The more likely alternative is that England take a different route altogether, and change the balance of their side.
Could Overton bat as high as No. 7? A Test batting average of 15.16 across 14 innings suggests not, though he has clearly made significant strides this season. Perhaps his best route into the side would be as effectively one of three No. 8s, along with a spin-bowling allrounder – such as Rehan Ahmed, or perhaps even Will Jacks – and Gus Atkinson at No. 9.
“Growing up, I always wanted to be a batter that bowled a little bit,” he said. “It’s a big thing for me, trying to score runs for the team and being that almost-complete allrounder… I’m probably not quite there with the bat, but it’s something that I’m trying to work on. If I can get up to that [status] that’d be great, but it’s probably pushing it a little bit.”
Overton has not heard from England’s management since he was last in a Test squad four years ago, and recognised that Brendon McCullum’s hunt for pace made him unlikely to feature: “That’s the way they wanted to go… I’m never going to be a bowler that can run in and bowl 90mph, so if that’s what they want, they’re going to pick bowlers that can do that.”
But suddenly, medium-fast bowling is back in vogue – particularly if it enables keepers to stand up to the stumps. “If it’s going to help me get a wicket, then I’m all for it,” Overton said. “I’ve had [Ben] Foakes standing up to the stumps before, and Rewy [James Rew] has done it a few times. It doesn’t happen very often, but certain wickets will dictate it.
“There’s numerous ways of playing Test cricket, and the role that they thought was the right way isn’t necessarily the wrong way… But equally, there’s people around the world who have done really well bowling 81-82mph and have skill, and you can beat batters with that. It’s trying to find that right balance… Hopefully, I get the chance, but if not, it’s not the be-all and end-all.”
There is one potential complicating factor: Overton will become a dad next month, with his wife Asha expecting their first child in three weeks’ time. “It’s going to be a hectic ride,” he said with a grin. “I’m taking my car everywhere to know that I can get anywhere if I need to.”
Matt Roller is a senior correspondent at Cricinfo. @mroller98
