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The English side's preparations for a hot, dry T20 World Cup in India in the coming month led them on midweek to a chilly, rainy New Zealand's largest city, where they were compelled to hold the last training session before their third game against New Zealand indoors. The purpose isn't always clear what role these two-team contests fulfill, what useful lessons could possibly be learned – but on this instance, for at least a squad member, that is no concern.

The Batter's New Role: From Opener to Middle Order

The cricketer says he is “continuing to develop”, and if it is the type of statement often repeated even by athletes who have long since scaled the pinnacle of their game, in his case it is certainly accurate. After building his name as a top-order batter, mostly as an opener, Banton suddenly finds himself a completely unfamiliar role, coming in at five or six. “I didn't have too many discussions,” he said. “I just got brought me back into the team and informed me, ‘You’re going to bat in the middle order now.’”

Prior to returning in June, the vast majority of Banton’s 162 senior T20 innings had been as an starting batsman, a further portion at third position and the remaining handful – but for a brief stint at No 7 in a T20 Blast game previously – at No 4. If England plan to retain him in this altered role he requires every possible opportunity to become accustomed to it, and he has figured out a key point: “Batting in the middle order,” he surmised, “is a lot harder than starting the innings.”

Varied Performances in the Tour

The player noted that “sometimes where it comes off and it looks great and on other occasions where it fails”, and the initial matches of the tour in the host nation have seen one of each. In the first, he faced a few deliveries and scored a low score before holing out to long-on; in the second, he faced a dozen balls, scored 29, and ended the innings unbeaten.

Reflections on Return and Development

The current series has witnessed Banton return to the nation in which he made his international debut in late 2019. Since then, he moved away of the team, had a short comeback in 2022 and then spent a long period in the wilderness before returning for Harry Brook’s initial match as England captain. “On the flight over, it was weird,” he said. “It was six years ago when I made my debut. It feels like a lot has happened in that time. I’ve learned a lot about myself. The few years after I was left out from England was a difficult phase for me. I had a couple of years period where I was finding my way.”

Backing from Coaching Staff

And now, he has been assigned a fresh challenge to tackle. Banton is grateful to have been given another chance, and also for the coach's ability to put him at ease while he figures out how best to seize the opportunity. “The coach approached me before [the recent game] and said, ‘Go out and play your natural game.’ It’s nice to have that freedom,” Banton said. “I know it’s only a small thing from the staff, but it provides the support that if it doesn't work, it’s not a disaster. It is so minor but for me it’s, ‘OK, I’ve got the backing from the manager and I can step up and perform.’”

Venue Change and Squad Decisions

After playing the first two games of the contest at the South Island ground, a venue with expansive playing area, England finish the series on the next day at Eden Park, a dual-purpose sports facility where the straight boundary at 55m is among the most compact in the world. With uncertain weather and an unfamiliar venue they have abandoned their recent habit of revealing their lineup ahead of time while they determine if their ideal XI here will be the same as the one that began both previous games.

Squad Adjustments for One-Day Matches

Next, they travel to Mount Maunganui and turn focus to ODIs, with a somewhat changed squad: Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley and Phil Salt are omitted, while Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jamie Smith join the squad. Three of those players arrived in the city on Wednesday but the timing of the bowler's Test match buildup implies he will arrive later, flying with two fellow bowlers, fast bowlers who are also preparing for the Tests in Australia but are excluded from the white-ball squad. As a result Archer will miss the opening game at the venue, the stadium where he was racially abused on his only previous appearance, in 2019.