Not everything went England’s way in 2014, but there were still plenty of moments over the last 12 months that give reason to be optimistic going forward. Here are a few highlights.
Jos Buttler flays the Australians
The Ashes series was far from successful, but the subsequent one-day rubber confirmed what had long been suspected: Jos Buttler is a superstar in the making.
Striding to the crease with England 206 for four in the 40th over in the fourth one-day international at the WACA Ground, Buttler hammered 71 from 43 balls as the tourists raced to 316 for eight – the highest ODI score at Perth.
That saw England record a rare 57-run win, and Buttler would go on to end the year as first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman for his country in all formats.
Having been second best in all departments Down Under, it was important England got back to winning ways as quickly as possible.
After losing the first of three ODIs in the Caribbean, it was vital they took the second and they looked on course when West Indies were skittled for 159.
At 89 for six England were in danger of seeing another series slip away, but Ravi Bopara and Stuart Broad, with 38 and 28 not out respectively, guided the tourists home, and Joe Root’s century completed a series-sealing win in the third match in Antigua.
After narrowly losing a hard-fought one-day series to Sri Lanka, England’s first home Test of the summer saw a host of new faces vying to stake their claims.
Root’s double-century in the first innings put England in control, but it was Yorkshire team-mate Gary Ballance’s ton in the second which, in an instant, answered any questions about the number-three position.
The only downside was Sri Lanka’s last-wicket pair holding out for a draw.
Anderson and Root rewrite the record books
The first Test between England and India at Trent Bridge eventually petered out into a forgettable draw, but it will live long in both the record books and the memory.
Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar had already added 111 for India’s 10th wicket in the first innings, but no one can claim to have envisaged what was to unfold in England’s reply.
At 298 for nine, India’s 457 looked a long way off as James Anderson, a man who had never made a half-century and in 94 previous Tests had a best score of 34, strode to the crease.
He made a career-best 81 – the highest score by an England number 11, as he and Root, with 154 not out, added a Test-record 198 for the last wicket and gave his side an unlikely first-innings lead.
Short of runs and leading a team who had lost consecutive Test series without winning a single match, Alastair Cook was under real pressure when England arrived at the Ageas Bowl for the third game with India having just fallen 1-0 down in the rubber.
Batting first after winning the toss was a bold move in the circumstances, but Cook backed himself and duly responded with 95 at the top of the order, laying the platform for a 266-run victory and, eventually, a 3-1 series win which bolstered the confidence of England’s new-look outfit.
England’s seamers steamroll India
England saved their best for last when it came to Test performances in 2014.
Ahead 2-1 against India heading to the Kia Oval, the outcome of the series never looked in doubt once Anderson, Broad, Chris Jordan and Chris Woakes had bundled the tourists out for 148 in their first innings.
Root’s unbeaten 149 then took England to a formidable-looking 486, and Jordan took 4-18 in the second innings as India slumped to 94 all out and an innings-and-244-run defeat.
