Tim Bresnan Weighs in Ahead of the Ashes Bout

I’m not going to lie, I’m far from Tim Bresnan’s biggest fan. Well I wasn’t until yesterday anyway and though he’s still some way from winning me round, I was pleasantly surprised by his performance.

Whatever my reservations were with the Yorkshire ahem, ‘all-rounder,’ it’s never nice to see anyone make their test debut and receive a TFC (thanks for coming) particularly in such a non event of a test series, made interesting only by Chris Gayle’s arrogant, churlish comments in an interview for the Guardian newspaper. The England team has been criticised for being a closed shop over the last few years and it certainly made selctorial sense to bring in Ian Bell and revert to a four man attack with the extra movement that English pitches in May can produce.

However, a five-man attack with Prior at six is the best way for this team to progress and by blooding first Onions and now Bresnan into the test arena England have covered a few more bases ahead of the Ashes series.

Unfortunately for Bresnan he is occupying a position which, by rights, belongs to Andrew Flintoff and even if England’s behemoth is unavailable to overcome his persistent injury crisis’ come July then the likelihood of spin playing a big part in the Cardiff test match suggests that Monty Panesar or possibly Bresnan’s Yorkshire team mate Adil Rashid could take his place.

Despite this, it was good to see some of his strengths in action yesterday. It seems unlikely that he will ever be a wonderfully consistent bowler but a somewhat scattergun approach can often work wonders and it appears that Bresnan has the ability to bowl genuinely quick, menacing deliveries.

Chances are that someone might get hold of him from time to time and there should be sincere reservations about his one-day credentials as bowlers who deliver too many length deliveries have become fodder to modern day power hitters.

What he does have however is a strong arm action, height and just enough movement to threaten.

Steve Harmison’s has hopefully been discarded with for the final time and it will be down to the likes of Bresnan and other inexperienced players to rally round the likes of Jimmy Anderson and recreate a fast bowling unit capable of returning the urn to its rightful home this summer. We shall wait and see.