Ben Stokes has named a familiar looking eleven to take on South Africa, promising that the early summer ‘venom’ will still be there.
Ben Foakes returns behind the stumps in place of Sam Billings after missing the India Test with Covid, but otherwise the team that captured the imagination with a fourth win out of four continues its march.
And after six weeks away, with other forms of cricket being played, Stokes has reminded his players that their uber aggressive style of Test cricket must continue at Lord’s. “I’m really excited to get back out there tomorrow,” said Stokes. “And for the series, because it felt like a really long time away from each other. There's been a lot of different cricket, different formats played from the guys in the dressing room at the moment.
“So getting back in there, seeing everybody, chatting through and reminding everybody about what we've done and what we've achieved. But also sticking to our guns and making sure that that six week period hasn't lost its venom because it would be easy to have a long time away from each other and almost forget the role that we've managed to find for ourselves.
“It was just about reiterating the points we made at the start of the summer about our mindset, attitude and everything like that about how we go out and play our cricket. That's the most important thing at the moment for this team.
“Believing in what we speak about in the changing rooms and going out there and I'm trying to deliver on it and the results will look after themselves.” Stokes can’t wait to lock horns once more with the South Africans too after some ding dong battles down the years.
And it is clear that England's new style of cricket - and the term Bazball - has managed to get under the visitor’s skin, something Stokes appreciated with a wry smile. “The opposition seems to be doing a lot of talking at the moment about it.
“We don't really speak about it that much. We just concentrate on what we do. We've got a style of play. They've got a style of play.
“At the end of the day it is bat against ball whoever plays best over a Test match is more than likely to win. I’m happy for Dean and the South African team to keep saying they're not interested but then also keep talking about it.
“I've played many series against South Africa over the years and I always love playing against them. They are a seriously competitive side.
“You always feel like you're in the battle with them no matter even if you are on top of a game. You know that the attitude they have as players is something that I really admire.”
England Test team in full: Crawley, Lees, Pope, Root, Bairstow, Stokes (c), Foakes, Potts, Leach, Broad, Anderson
