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Matthew Potts is still working on becoming an all-around bowler in all conditions and formats. He is currently halfway through assessing how that is progressing, with a two-week period of white-ball activity scheduled to give way to a month-long encounter with the red.
Even though rain may have the last word, this Friday’s fourth One-Day International at Lord’s offers the chance to tie the series against Australia and set up a finale in Bristol on Sunday. Potts is one of the six players in the group who will depart for the Test visit to Pakistan on Tuesday, which is just two days after that fifth ODI.
There is an unduly short turnaround. Potts has been carrying three luggage to see him through to the end of this series and the three Tests in Pakistan, as he has no time to return home. By the end of October, home calls.
“I think that’s the beauty of being a multi-formatted cricketer,” Potts said. “You’ve got to be ready for every eventuality but at the same time be able to compartmentalize for different things. I’ve got all the stuff packed but I’m focused on this white-ball series first.”
In addition to clothes, equipment, and golf clubs, the Durham seamen hopes he brought along a little more zip. He thinks that’s the first step towards becoming the multifaceted swift person he aspires to be.
Potts’ average speed from his first season to the present has been 132 kph. However, the 25-year-old has made adjustments that he thinks would result in higher speed gun readings.
“It’s something that I’ve looked at: being not only useful in England, but also useful elsewhere,” he said, when asked about the upcoming Pakistan tour. “There’s been a change, trying to increase my ball speed, try and be a bit more effective elsewhere. I think I’m taking positive steps towards trying to make myself useful everywhere.”
“It’s something to do with how my run-up is and how explosive I can be, and maybe using my front arm a little bit more efficiently,” he explained. “I have quite a bustly run-up, but slowing things down sometimes actually returns it into being slightly faster. So it’s just working on things and tinkering around … there’s no real correct formula to how to do it, but just tinkering around with little things and just seeing what it’s like.”