It seems an awfully long time ago now that this one-day series against New Zealand began with England’s makeshift opening partners walking to the crease for what was billed as the start of a shootout for one World Cup place.
Dawid Malan was the incumbent, but under pressure from the princeling Harry Brook, who had dazzled in the T20 series between the two sides and had the winds of a raging selection storm in his sails.
