Sam Curran is looking to secure his Test spot in New Zealand and stop being one of the more vulnerable members of the England side. His challenge is doing so with a ball he reckons most seamers would happily swap: the Kookaburra.
Surrey’s precocious 21-year-old looks to have got the nod for Thursday’s first Test at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, nudging out the more experienced Chris Woakes at No 8 by dint of the left-arm angle that offers Joe Root a point of difference in the field.
It is a strong show of confidence in a combative cricketer but one still learning new tricks without the more swing-friendly Duke ball. Yet to kick on from last year’s breakout summer against India – he struggled for impact in two Caribbean Tests but returned for the fifth Ashes Test – Curran is determined to make it count.
“I think if I do get the chance it is about nailing down my spot in the side and stop being the one that is vulnerable,” said Curran. “That is my responsibility – to take the opportunity by getting runs and taking wickets and contributing to the team.
“I was in all the Ashes squads so that was a confidence-booster that you’re around the group. But as the series went on you’re itching to get out on the field.”
Curran recognises that his value is as an all-round cricketer given a penchant for potentially game-changing batting cameos. Ben Stokes – a player he says he models himself on, tellingly – eases some of the pressure for wickets, compared to being one of three seamers in the attack.
Nevertheless, the younger man stressed they must still “hunt in a pack” on the flat pitches being tipped for this series and against a New Zealand batting lineup that has put seven 400-plus totals on the board in 13 Tests over the past two years, compared to England’s three in 26.
The Kookaburra, with its less pronounced seam and propensity to soften more quickly, makes this trickier for a waspish bowler who still operates in the low-80mph range speed-wise.
Curran did get some swing in England’s second warm-up match in Whangarei and at other times switched to around the wicket. He also tried canny legside traps (one of which might have worked but for a drop by Root at leg slip). Across the two games he took four for 128 from 37 overs.
“I think any bowler who bowls with a Kookaburra is going to say they prefer the Dukes but you’ve got to learn somehow,” said Curran. “I’ve made some strides and come up with a few different options so I’m pretty confident.”
Another source of confidence is Jofra Archer, who looks to be carrying through the form witnessed during his first summer of international cricket. The 24-year-old set eyes on a red Kookaburra only a few week back but picked up seven wickets in the warm-ups and his devilish bouncer forced yet another batsman – the experienced Hamish Rutherford – out of the second match with concussion.
Curran said: “He’s an amazing bowler and one you want on your side. I’m sure he’s going to be raring to go and it will be exciting to be playing on the same team as him. I don’t think our batters would want to be facing him. Hopefully he can ruffle a few feathers.”
Curran is also one quarter of a strong Surrey influence in this England side, with Rory Burns, Ollie Pope and Dom Sibley all graduates from the academy setup at the Oval, even if the latter’s first Test call-up comes after moving to Warwickshire and turning his early promise into big county runs.
“It will be fun if we all take the park,” said Curran. “Hopefully we take that responsibility of nailing down our places and being the future. International cricket is international cricket but I think it makes it a bit easier to be playing with guys you’ve grown up with.
“If things are going badly you can kind of laugh it off and stay positive because you’re playing with mates and that’s good fun.”
Indeed when Sibley walks out to open the batting for England for the first time this week it will complete a hat-trick of debuts alongside opening partner Burns, having done so for Surrey’s 2nd XI and first team.
“That would be a pretty cool feeling,” said Burns, looking to build on an encouraging Ashes series that produced a maiden Test century and saw only Steve Smith absorb more than his 896 deliveries faced. “I remember driving Sibbo to most of those [games for Surrey]. I’m very proud of him to have got to where he’s got to.”
