Ollie

Crocombe’s selection may raise eyebrows, given other recent picks such as Essex’s Sam Cook or Durham’s Matthew Potts have been overlooked, but it should not be a big surprise.

When England named their Test squad at the start of the summer, Key mentioned the tall, strong quick saying he had “really kicked on” this season.

Crocombe, a product of Sussex’s academy, was first picked by England Lions in 2024 before struggles with injury.

It was when he began this County Championship season with his first five-wicket haul, taking nine in the match against Leicestershire, that he began to seriously catch the eye.

Another right-arm quick, Crocombe bowls at a lively pace.

Overall, his statistics this season are solid – a Championship average of 28.61 while sitting joint 11th in the wicket-takers’ list – and he has the skills England value.

For so long, it looked as though Robinson would never play for England again, certainly under this regime.

England explained his exile on grounds of conditioning, on a tendency to lose pace or hobble out of matches altogether. His skills were not in doubt – Robinson averaged less than 23 with the ball in his 20 previous Tests.

Humbled in Australia and in need of an attack leader, England returned to the 32-year-old. Robinson has benefitted from being given the captaincy at Sussex and admitted he has matured. If England had him bowling like this in Australia, how different might the Ashes have been?

Bowling the second over of the innings, Robinson found movement down the Lord’s slope, into left-hander Conway. After two balls, captain Stokes posted a short leg and Conway instantly played all around a full ball. Robinson roared with delight, while Conway was disgruntled to see the review showing the ball clipping leg stump.

Robinson’s length was immaculate. Facing his second ball, Williamson failed to get far enough forward, looping the catch to debutant Emilio Gay at short leg. Ravindra, another left-hander, was pinned by another nip-backer. The noise was deafening.

At 2-3, New Zealand were in disarray. Captain Tom Latham could have been run out by Stokes before he was lbw, getting only half-forward to Atkinson. Robinson showed his full array of skills to find seam movement up the slope, bowling Mitchell, who offered no shot.

When the pacey Tongue castled Tom Blundell, New Zealand were in danger of being dismissed before the close. Glenn Phillips’ unbeaten 31, supported by Nathan Smith, somehow got them through without further loss.

Since the last international break, no player has scored more Premier League goals than Watkins’ nine.

Manchester City‘s Erling Haaland is second on that list with seven, while Nottingham Forest‘s Morgan Gibbs-White is the next best English player on five.

But, while Watkins may well be arguably England’s most in-form striker heading into the World Cup, realistically the spot everyone is vying for is the number one back-up position to captain Kane.

Ivan Toney has been in prolific form all season for Al-Ahli but playing in the Saudi Pro League means his numbers are difficult to directly compare with the other contenders.

Of the rest, Watkins’ 19 goals in all competitions puts him five ahead of both Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who returned to the England fold after a five-year exile in March, and Danny Welbeck, whose last cap was in 2018.

“He’s got to be on the plane,” former Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie said on Sky Sports when asked about Watkins’ chances of being included this summer. “Since being left out we’ve just seen a massive turning of the corner.

“He’s been relentless in front of goal, he’s shown his capabilities. He’s a totally different player to Harry Kane and gives them something different.”