Contrasting fortunes for Curran brothers as Sam moves closer to cementing T20 World Cup spot
Less than a year to go until the next Twenty20 World Cup, scheduled to be staged in India, and England are another step closer to finalising their bowling attack in most conditions.
Jofra Archer, Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid are inked in as three of England’s bowlers, and Ben Stokes as the sixth, or safety valve. Now Sam Curran is booking himself in as the fourth of the five main bowlers.
It is proven that where two brothers are involved in cricket, the younger one tends to be better.
In the case of the Currans, Sam is the youngest of three, so he enjoyed double the advantage when growing up and playing against Tom, the eldest, and Ben, the middle brother, now of Northamptonshire. It certainly panned out that way in the first T20 international of this three-match series in South Africa. Sam Curran produced his best figures for England in this format, Tom Curran his worst.
Sam Curran has more than compensated for his lack of size with his resourcefulness and cricket brain, always finding a way to compete with his elders – if not betters.
Not that he is exactly small and weak. When little more than a toddler, and his father Kevin was playing for Northamptonshire, his party-trick was driving plastic golf-balls over his house – much like Sam’s second ball in Cape Town that he hit for six.
Again, in the opening T20 international, Sam Curran surprised South Africa’s batsmen with his bouncer – a nippier bouncer than his brother has.
Quick bouncer; slower-ball bouncer; a cutter from round the wicket turning away from the right-hander; wide half volleys delivered from over the wicket so that Heinrich Klaasen, with his bottom hand, could not club them leg side.
There seems to be no limit to the ruses the youngest Curran can conjure. The T20 format keeps evolving, as does Sam, but not Tom at the same rate.
The fifth over of South Africa’s innings, when Tom Curran conceded 24, would have been the difference between the two sides but for Jonny Bairstow’s barrage. Tom was too predictable for such a wise and tough old bird as Faf du Plessis, whereas Sam Curran assails batsmen like an angry and innovative wasp.
Barring injuries, this simply leaves the question of England’s fifth bowler – the second spinner – for the next T20 World Cup, whether in India or else transferred to the UAE if medical reasons dictate. It could turn out to be the Achilles’ heel of an otherwise splendid side.
In the next two games of this series England need Moeen Ali to demonstrate that his appetite for cricket and wicket-taking in particular, not only economy, has revived.