Phil Walker

that next year becomes huge on any number of levels.

But this year for England is a trickier one because you have New Zealand who always turn up and we have a lovely time with New Zealand and it's inconsequential and it's like this kind of summer fling.

And we both know that it doesn't mean that much to either of us, but we have a lovely time when we see each other.

And then Pakistan turn up and obviously Pakistan are in all kinds at the moment, you know, lost four games in a row against Bangladesh.

So,

So the trend you would assume would be that England would continue to be tricky to beat at home.

The New Zealand series in particular is interesting because New Zealand have a really good pace attack and England have that tendency to fall over at laws from time to time.

And that's where the first test match is.

But you assume that...

This summer will fall to England just about.

And then there's just a suspension of clarity, if you like.

The whole thing is on a knife edge and people want to know how it's going to fall.

And the natives are restive after what happened in your summer.

And there's agitation in the air because the scars of the winter have just not begun to heal at all.

And it's hard to see...

if they see how they do heal until we know for sure if the whole Bazbalian Stokesian epic is one big con job or if it actually has an overriding plan that can ultimately bear fruit next year.

And so at the moment, people want blood or they want they at least want clarity.

but they're not going to get it, I don't think, this summer.

So it all builds to next year.

And I know we're not meant to talk too far down the line because it's disrespectful to test cricket and all the rest of it, but let's not kid ourselves.