Old faces James Anderson and Stuart Broad embrace new approach to run through New Zealand top-order

As they prepared to bowl their opening deliveries at the start of England’s home summer of 2022, both James Anderson and Stuart Broad received generous applause at Lord’s. Nothing new about that, of course, only this time felt a little different: the greeting seemed like an endorsement - and a repudiation, therefore, of England’s two highest wicket-takers being dropped from the tour of the West Indies in March.

Since David Gower was dropped, perhaps just one selection decision - the effective sacking of Kevin Pietersen - has been more controversial than England ditching both Anderson and Broad after the Ashes. It was a decision that defied the form of both men: Anderson had averaged 23 since the start of 2021, Broad 31. Instead, the rationale was a little more complex. Some saw the two, for all their reliability, as prioritising economy rate over strike rate; after the defeat to Australia in Adelaide, Joe Root said “we needed to bowl fuller” and “we weren't brave enough at times to get the ball up there.” There were also murmurings about dropping the two giving England a chance to empower younger bowlers, and build a new culture.

When he was appointed as new England captain, Ben Stokes made plain his view that this was a waste of their talents. After years in which every English decision has been made through the prism of the Ashes - to the extent that Chris Silverwood, then England’s head coach, described the series with New Zealand and India, the world’s number one and two sides, last summer as Ashes preparation - England now intend to take an altogether simpler approach. Rather than jam tomorrow, England need jam today. A team with one victory in their past 17 Tests are in no position not to pick their strongest