Eng vs Aus 4th ODI – Matthew Potts steps in trying to prove his worth across the format

It’s an unnecessarily drastic change. With no time for Potts to return home, he has been lugging three suitcases to see him through to the end of the three-Test series in Pakistan. Home is ringing at the end of October.

“I think that’s the beauty of being a multi-format cricketer,” Potts said. “You have to be ready for everything that will happen but at the same time be able to combine different things. I have gathered all the things but I am focusing on this white ball series first.”

Between clothing, kit and golf clubs, the Durham tailor hopes to pack in some extra speed. That, he believes, is the first step to becoming the multi-faceted person he wants to be.

“It’s something I’m looking at: not only useful in England, but also useful elsewhere,” he said, when asked about the upcoming Pakistan tour. “There has been a change, I’m trying to increase my speed of the ball, try and be more successful in another area. I think I’m taking good steps to try to make myself useful everywhere.”

Currently, Potts’ speed from his first season until now has been the same, averaging 132km/h. But the 25-year-old has made some changes that he believes should translate to big numbers on the fastball.

“It’s something to do with how I run and how I can explode, and maybe use my forearm a little bit,” he explained. “I’m busy, but slowing things down sometimes brings you back to being a little faster. So it’s just working on things and processing … there’s no right formula on how to do it, but just playing around with the little things and just seeing how it goes.”

That England were able to win 3-0 two years ago is still something to admire under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. Potts, for all his belief in his own abilities, is grateful that he could not help as a seamer at the time in the way that James Anderson, Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson did.

“No, probably not. I probably didn’t have the extra speed of the ball,” he said. “That’s something I’ve been working on for the last six or seven months… I probably wasn’t ready for that, and maybe my game wasn’t up to that level.”

None of the three bowlers are in England’s plans this time, with Wood ruled out with an elbow problem, so the onus is on Potts to step up. Doing so will end what has been a sporadic international activity, with 15 appearances spread over the past two years.

His international summer of 2024 only started in August. The loss of Stokes due to a hamstring injury opened the door to his return for the first two Tests against Sri Lanka. There was ring-rust in the first innings at Emirates Old Trafford (0 for 48 in nine overs), which came in the second for 3 for 47, followed by a few more wickets at Lord’s.

This ODI series gave him the first chance to show something different. He took on the role of new ball bowler without any fuss, and showed some flair. There was good control, with his economy rate of 5.28, the lowest of all England quicks. For his three wickets, he was a beauty in the second ODI which got Steve Smith out of the stumps. A perfect length and some good late movement found a rare gap between Smith’s bat and pad. He was unlucky not to take more.

“Obviously Woakesy has done a fantastic job in the England one-day team. These are big boots to fill.

“Whether that takes a new ball and some swing at the end, that’s probably going to be my role in this team. I’m looking forward to taking it – and it’s been good so far. Hopefully I’ll keep going in the right direction.”