Kim Barnett's tale should have acted as Dom Sibley warning, England's predicatable attack and memories in the attic

HUW TURBERVILL: Both ends of England's Test team ahead of the Ashes looks frail, with ungainly techniques at one end and injuries at the other. Thank goodness we have history to distract us

Sibley lost the beauty contest

I feel a bit sorry for Dom Sibley. History shows that if your technique isn’t pretty, you will eventually be forced out.

It reminds me of when Kim Barnett was called up by England in 1988. He enjoyed a great start, with 66 on debut against Sri Lanka at Lord’s. India cancelled England’s tour that winter because of some of the tourists’ links with South Africa. 

So Barnett’s next Test was the Ashes opener at Headingley in 1989. Australia won by 210 runs, but he batted well, making 80 and 34. So far so good: 180 at 60. But already there were mutterings on TV about his technique: crouched, starting outside leg stump, the forward press, pat of the bat on the ground, then walks across his stumps. I clearly recall Tom Graveney, classical batsman that he was, leading the way.

Barnett then made 14 and 3, and 10 at Edgbaston, and that was that: no slack given. Even though he was undoubtedly one of the best operators on the first-class circuit, with Derbyshire then Gloucestershire. He finished his career with 28,593 first-class runs at 40.38, with 61 centuries. 

Sibley’s Test average of 28.94, and two centuries, is not that bad when you consider that he has opened in England for 10 of his 22 Tests against the Dukes ball and that he played four Tests in India earlier in the year on those turning dustbowls. But if your batting ain’t pretty, expect no mercy.

^{Barrett being bowled by Allan Donald in the 2000 Natwest Cup Final}

England's attack being chipped away

Further evidence if needed that fast bowling can seriously damage your health: Mark Wood will miss the third Test at Headingley because of his shoulder injury. 

It deprives England of their X factor with the ball, their X-press quick. Wood had one of his best Test matches against India at Lord’s, taking 2 for 91 and 3 for 51. 

If only England can keep him fit for this winter’s Ashes campaign (if it happens), with first Olly Stone then Jofra Archer falling away. England need somebody to match the firepower of Pat Cummins and co.

There was criticism last time in Australia (2017/18) that England’s attack was too ‘samey’ in their 4-0 defeat, their battery of right-arm seamers containing James Anderson, Craig Overton, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Tom Curran and Jake Ball. It looks as if it could be similar this time, although the undoubtedly promising Ollie Robinson will be added to the mix. 

Spin-wise, England have also now turned back to Moeen Ali, who took five wickets at 115 runs apiece in that series: his batting gaining him the nod over Jack Leach against India. 

It’s not looking especially promising, is it?

^{England's attack has a familiar look to four years ago}

Nuggets of cricket gold

Clearing out my late parents’ house has been a grisly, gruelling task. I did find a couple of surprise cricket nuggets that slightly lightened my mood, however.

I was unaware that my grandmother on my mother’s side ever expressed any interest in cricket, although I did know that they lived on the same Haywards Heath street as members of the Parks family. They, therefore, became family friends with Jim Snr, Harry, Jim Jnr, and Bobby, of Sussex, Sussex, Sussex and Hampshire respectively.

Thus it was that Agnes, who died when I was about six, appeared to make regular trips to Hove, judging by her autograph book (or did she just give her book to one of the Parks?).

I could barely believe it when I opened it up. 

Nottinghamshire 1932 – a page. The first name I saw – Harold Larwood. Wow! Then there’s Bill Voce, his Bodyline fast-bowling sidekick, and Joe Hardstaff Jnr and Arthur Carr, who played 23 and 11 Tests for England respectively, and George Gunn (15, who knew a thing or two about making bats).

Then we have full line-ups of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Worcestershire, Northamptonshire, Gloucestershire (including a certain Walter Hammond), and the South Americans. There is also a single page devoted to Herbie Taylor (42 Tests for South Africa). All the names so far inscribed in beautiful ink pen.

^{Legends of yesteryear}

And then, last but not least, I find Yorkshire… in pencil, the legendary H Sutcliffe (averaged 60 in 54 Tests, 16 100s) sticks out a mile. Back in ink, I then also see Maurice Leyland (41 Tests), wicketkeeper Arthur Wood (four), George Macaulay (eight), Arthur Mitchell (six) and Wilfred Barber (two). 

That summer Sutcliffe helped Percy Holmes set a new first-class opening partnership record of 555 for Yorkshire against Essex at Leyton.

Finally, among the belongings, there was a newspaper report from the Sussex Express and County Herald (April 12, 1957). Mr BH (Bev) Lyon, president of Scaynes Hill Cricket Club, said that if clubs like his ceased to exist, “there would be no chance of saving English cricket”. The report continues: “Mr Lyon was disappointed by the way the great players of the world were playing cricket. They had stopped playing it as a game but thought of it only in terms of statistics.”

I wonder what he’d make of The Hundred.

England winning the Ashes the previous summer, with Jim Laker taking 19 for 90 at Old Trafford, clearly wasn’t exciting enough for him. I wish I could tell you Mr Lyon, English cricket is still here! He was captain of Gloucestershire from 1929–35. They finished second in the County Championship in 1930 and ’31, aided by Hammond’s runs of course.

The autographs were a thrilling discovery anyway, which has enhanced the vague memories I retain of my gran.

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