Jamie Overton ‘happy with decision’ to take red-ball break and miss Ashes series

Jamie Overton has no regrets about taking an indefinite break from red-ball cricket as England’s bid to regain the Ashes looms large on the horizon.

The fast bowling all-rounder featured in England’s most recent Test against India at the Kia Oval in July, just his second appearance in the longest format, before announcing his shock hiatus last month.

While he was odds-on to be in England’s squad to face Australia, Overton cited concerns about the physical and mental exertions of playing all three formats as a major factor in his decision.

Overton admitted he has faced a bit of backlash but having overcome multiple stress fractures in his back, he is content to focus exclusively on the ODI and T20 formats for England for now.

“Obviously I’ve had a few comments here and there,” Overton said. “But I feel happy with the decision I made.

“It’s one of those – my body feels great at the moment. Obviously I’m not going to be involved in the Ashes, which is the thing you grow up wanting to play.

“But my body is the main thing and it was just trying to do the right thing at the right moment and that felt like the right thing to do.”

While primarily a fast bowler, Overton came to the fore with the bat when England were up against it in Sunday’s first ODI against New Zealand, arriving at the crease with his side on 56 for six in Mount Maunganui.

Zak Foulkes and Matt Henry had wreaked havoc in favourable bowling conditions but Overton contributed 46 in a valuable run-a-ball 87 stand with Harry Brook, who made 135 in England’s 223 all out.

It was ultimately not enough to stop the Black Caps from claiming a four-wicket win at the Bay Oval to move 1-0 ahead in the three-match series although Overton was in awe at how the England captain batted.

“He was ridiculous,” Overton said. “The way he puts the pressure back on the bowlers is phenomenal. It was like he was playing on a different wicket than the rest of us.

“Brooky obviously moves around in the crease a bit and tries to put the bowler off. I tried to do that with some success, there were other times when I was thinking ‘what am I doing here? I don’t know what I’m doing’, but it’s just trying to do something within your game.”

England could unleash talismanic fast bowler Jofra Archer for the first time this winter as they bid to level the series in Hamilton on Wednesday.

Archer missed Sunday’s curtain-raiser, having only arrived in New Zealand 24 hours earlier as part of a tailored plan to be in peak shape for the first Ashes Test in Perth, starting on November 21.

Having reduced New Zealand to 66 for four at the weekend, England struggled to take wickets in the middle overs and Brook admitted afterwards they cannot always rely on the “wizardry” of leg-spinner Adil Rashid.

Archer would add an extra bit of firepower to England’s line-up if he were to make his first appearance after a seven-week break, which would likely mean Luke Wood dropping out of the XI.

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