- Ben Duckett: Embracing his unique approach to opening in the Ashes
- The Importance of Confidence: How Duckett’s mindset has transformed his game
- Partnering with Zak Crawley: The success of England’s opening duo
“Today is probably the first day in the last month that I haven’t thought about cricket at all,” Ben Duckett says on the other end of the phone, even though the spell is promptly broken by answering this call from a cricket journalist.
Duckett was distracted last week by the Ashes series and an unpleasant house move. After England’s victory in Leeds on Sunday, which brought the score to 2-1, both sets of players have taken a break before next week’s pivotal fourth Test at Old Trafford, with Duckett and his girlfriend, Paige, spending the majority of their time guiding plumbers, gardeners, and Sky engineers into their new home.
However, Duckett is a cricketer who enjoys staying active. No player in history, not even the legendary Virender Sehwag, has a better strike rate than him among openers with more than 1,000 Test runs. The left-handed batsman rarely leaves the ball outside off stump, savoring the feel of willow on leather, and when it comes to short balls, he would rather take it on than bob and weave.
England scored 12 and 19 at Edgbaston and 98 and 83 at Lord’s, both withdrawn.
However, the 28-year-old is extremely at ease with all of this; he is content to play to his quick-scoring abilities at the top of the order, as opposed to other people’s more traditional conceptions of what the role should entail.
Duckett responds, “There are two sides to this,” when asked if this series has been unlike any other in a Test career revived in Pakistan last winter. “It has been a blur. The external noise, acquaintances who message you every day, and the fact that you haven’t heard from some of them in years make you aware of its magnitude. On the other hand, the current environment feels like an entirely different game. We all want to triumph, but the topic of conversation is not the outcome.”
Duckett adheres to the Bazball philosophy and adores the bucket headwear that has come to symbolize England’s club cricket culture. He exclaims, “They’ve blown up!” “It is ideal that it rhymes with my last name. I told Paige, “Perhaps now is a good time to release my line.” I’ve discussed it with my agent.”
Duckett is passionate about changing the team’s aggression discourse. This was summed up at Lord’s when, out two runs short of his century, he bristled on air when Jonathan Agnew, asked if he would eternally remember the pull shot that caused his demise as one of three batters to fall similarly.
Duckett states, “I couldn’t believe the interview with Aggers and how he was unable to comprehend it.”
“The only reason I got 98 was because of the draw shot; if I had made the putt, I would have gotten 20. Even now, as I sit here with 98, I would have preferred two hundred in the game. People don’t comprehend why you nick off twice like a green seamer with 6ft 5in men’s bowling bumpers. It is destined to occur. And with 180 runs scored in the match, I’d say I’ve won the battle.
“I’ll also add that I don’t get under the ball or sway – you could say that Duckett doesn’t duck it – so attempting something I’ve never done before in that instant would not result in success. I’d rather leave attempting to be aggressive than remaining passive. Caught playing a ball past the fifth wicket? This also occurs, but it is also one of my strengths. Bowlers may be hesitant to go all out because, on my day, I will hurt them.
This is the best attack he’s ever encountered, according to Duckett; it’s the first time he’s had to consistently deal with a barrage of speed, and it’s a far cry from the fare in county cricket. But as an Ashes rookie, living out a childhood fantasy that was sparked during the famous 2005 series, the middle is not quite as hostile as he might have anticipated, with Australia playing in the image of their pristine captain.
“In my opinion, the Australian team is a very, very good team,” he says, followed by a brief pause and a statement of fact.
“However, they are a group of decent men. Pat Cummins appears to be one of the kindest cricket players. If I bowled at 90 mph like him, I would converse with the batsman much more. However, it does not appear that they are attempting to intimidate anyone by concentrating on their abilities. It’s good.”
Duckett diagnoses franchise cricket, observing that “even if I had an opinion on one of their players, thinking he’s not good or a good bloke, someone on our team has probably played with them”
Jonny Bairstow’s expulsion by Alex Carey at Lord’s and Mark Wood’s pace at Headingley changed the series’ tone. The home crowd is extremely important to us,” says Duckett. “When Carey batted a week ago, the fielding side would typically go after the batter and make them feel uncomfortable. But we didn’t need to say anything because the crowd was so enthusiastic. I am certain it must have affected him because he was not his usual self.
“I am also certain that Australia will not want Woody to participate in these final two games. It’s so strange; how does he bowl so quickly? I suppose it’s just his arm quickness, as he is not a particularly large individual. I’m glad he’s on my team because he’s so evasive and aggressive. Not only with the ball but also with the bat, his performance was game-changing.”
Duckett told the dressing room after Headingley that it didn’t feel like they were batting to save the Ashes. He also shared a beverage with Zak Crawley, the pair’s opening partnership – Duckett 5ft 7in, Crawley 6ft 5in – having set up the final day by removing 27 runs in five overs the night before.
The 91 they scored together at Lord’s is their highest score in this series, but their average of 47 for the first wicket in 18 innings together is the best among England’s pairings with 500-plus runs in the last decade.
Duckett states, “I don’t even know if the fact that I’m a small left-handed pitcher played a role in my selection.” “However, he [Crawley] is one of my favorite companions. We are on the same wavelength, seeking to get the team off to a quick start. And Australia has had sweepers out, which is convenient because you can rotate the strike knowing the board is turning. In this regard, I believe the Australians have made a mistake; they are not generating pressure.
“Zak is a witty individual who plays more appealing shots than I do. We haven’t fired properly yet in this series, but I told my partner over a few beers, “Let’s do a session or longer because if we do, we will put the team in such a strong position.”
Duckett faced pressure for his debut Test cricket outing in late 2016.
Inspiring by England’s strategy last summer, he ceased attempting to be a traditional top-order player and began implementing the best of his white-ball game into his first-class cricket at Nottinghamshire. This second attempt’s average score of 56 over nine Tests is irreversible.
“Two years ago, some of the shots I play would have been considered unacceptable,” he says. “It’s incredible what one can accomplish without the fear of failure. I’m not trying to convince people that I’m England’s greatest opener ever; if I stick to what I do, I’ll have a much better chance of success than if I strive to be something I’m not. There is no reason why I cannot continue doing this for the foreseeable future.”
Duckett, embodying the spirit of the bucket hat despite being a newcomer to the Ashes, sounds very at home these days.
