BUMBLE ON THE TEST: Zak Crawley looks a touch of class

Zak Crawley looks a touch of class, because gets into good positions early. Some might say he favours the leg side, but so did Viv Richards. 

At Old Trafford he often went the extra mile, running round the ground with set times in mind. 

He knows where he’s going and he knows he wants to get there. 

Zak Crawley’s amazing innings against Pakistan showed that he has a touch of class

Keep it simple, Joe

Joe Root looks a bit twitchy. There’s no fluency and he’s fiddling with his grip and staring at his guard. The old Australian coach Bobby Simpson said cricket is a simple game which we complicate as we get older. 

Joe just has to remind himself: some bloke bowls it at you from 22 yards, and you hit it. All the rest is a distraction. 

Joe Root has been looking uncomfortable, fiddling with his grip and checking his guard

Going, going… gone! 

I’m ensconced in a little village in North Yorkshire and it’s pouring with rain, as well as blowing a hoolie. 

There’s nothing for it but to join an online auction for a rather special car. I do like the car, so hopefully they’ll take that into consideration when they decide who to sell it to. 

My mate Jim tells me he picked up a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow for £5,000. 

The Buttler’s done it

Think back a couple of weeks, and the fear was that Jos Buttler was only ever going to succeed as a white-ball batsman. 

But the way he’s played both in that run-chase in Manchester and now here is exactly what England have been looking for. England will be thrilled — they know other sides are wary of him. 

Jos Buttler was a worry going in, but has turned out to be exactly what England have needed

Little Dave’s donkey tip

Being in this part of the world leaves me honour-bound to pop into the village pub for a meeting with Little Dave. He’s got a menagerie of tools and is sorting me out a personalised tool box. 

He’s a man of many talents is Dave. He makes his own hedgerow gin and keeps two donkeys, because the droppings are fantastic for roses. Like little brown golf balls, they are… 

Look at the size of it!

Before heading across the Pennines, I had a bit of time in my greenhouse, and my tomatoes are coming along a treat. 

So are my chillies, especially the fiery Nagas. But I need to tell you about my cucumbers. 

I brought one into the kitchen, and Vipers said: ‘Ooh, what a big one! I’ve never seen one that big before!’ I think she was referring to the cucumber… 

With opening partnerships, you have got to be able to stay in if you want to score any runs

Staying in is the key, lads

What have all the great opening partnerships — Greenidge and Haynes, Hayden and Langer, Cook and Strauss — got in common? 

They all had a good defensive technique. When Rory Burns and Dom Sibley were growing up, did they have the stances they have now? 

You’ve got to be able to stay in if you want to score any runs!