After another 11 wickets in the second Test in Wellington, and a combined total across the tours of Pakistan and New Zealand now standing at 39, there can be no doubt this has been the winter of Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse.
Only six months ago England’s planning for next winter’s Ashes would have been all about getting Mark Wood and Jofra Archer fit. Now they might not get in the team. Atkinson has played 10 Tests and Carse only four, but they have already shown they are capable of such penetrating bowling at this level.
