![McCullum says England have 'harder feel' after West Indies clean sweep](https://www.portugalcolonial.pt/media/shared/articles/b9/06/1d/McCullum-says-England-have--harder--377511.jpg)
-
Nissanka leaves Sri Lanka in sight of third Test win over England
-
Kendrick Lamar to headline 2025 Super Bowl halftime show
-
Thousands defy roadblocks in rally for Pakistan ex-PM Khan
-
Roglic wins record-equalling fourth Vuelta
-
Russia advances in east Ukraine, launches deadly air strikes
-
Cowboys quarterback Prescott agrees record $240 mln extension
-
Swiss double in Paralympic wheelchair marathons, Dutch women retain basketball title
-
New 'Beetlejuice' creeps its way to top of N.America box office
-
South Africa captain Kolisi leaves Racing 92: French Top 14 club
-
Funeral for slain athlete Cheptegei in Uganda on Sept 14
-
Dolphins star Hill arrested on way to season-opener
-
Smith hits back after England collapse against Sri Lanka
-
Weather delays final regattas in Louis Vuitton Cup
-
Venezuela's Gonzalez Urrutia: from placeholder to opposition pointman
-
Marquez thanks rain for San Marino MotoGP win as leader Martin pays for gamble
-
Boeing, union reach preliminary deal to avert Seattle-area strike
-
Neuville wins Acropolis Rally to close in on world title
-
Venezuela's opposition figure fled to Spain to save 'his life'
-
Trump, Harris tied on eve of televised presidential debate
-
Paris Paralympics the greatest ever, say former Olympics executives
-
Pope exit revives Sri Lanka's hopes in third Test against England
-
Gunman kills 3 Israelis at West Bank crossing as Gaza war rages
-
Marquez wins San Marino MotoGP as leader Martin pays for rain gamble
-
Greece to hike fee for cruise passengers to Mykonos and Santorini
-
Carsley's 'refreshing' England overhaul launches new era
-
Swiss double in wheelchair marathons on final day of Paralympics
-
France's Le Pen urges Macron to hold referendum to break deadlock
-
Typhoon Yagi weakens, toll rises to 14 in Vietnam
-
India's Randhir Singh elected Asian Olympic chief
-
Under pressure, UN winds down 'unique' Iraq probe into IS crimes
-
'Proud' athletics great Weir calls time on marathon Paralympic career
-
'Brave' Afghanistan can beat anyone, says skipper ahead of NZ Test
-
Vaughan warns England against 'taking the mick' after Sri Lanka collapse
-
England's Moeen Ali retires from international cricket
-
Japan's Hirata holds off inspired Smyth to win on Asian Tour
-
China's Paralympic domination fails to ignite enthusiasm back home
-
Sporting a feathered headdress, Pope finds 'Eden' in Papua New Guinea
-
Super Typhoon Yagi toll rises to 9 in Vietnam after landslide
-
Indonesian villagers dress corpses in ritual for the dead
-
Williamson expects 'phenomenal' Root to keep breaking records
-
The end of Olympic escapism for gloomy France
-
Amy Adams gets real about motherhood in 'Nightbitch'
-
Venezuela says presidential opposition candidate has left country
-
Women ride Pakistan's economic crisis into the workplace
-
Wallabies 'fell of cliff' in loss to Pumas, says coach Schmidt
-
Child abuse scandals hang over pope's East Timor visit
-
Biden team, end in sight, keeps hope on Gaza truce despite setbacks
-
Sabalenka dedicates US Open to family 'who never gave up' on dream
-
Venezuela takes diplomatic jab at Brazil in spat over election
-
Multiple people shot along highway in US state of Kentucky
![McCullum says England have 'harder feel' after West Indies clean sweep](https://www.portugalcolonial.pt/media/shared/articles/b9/06/1d/McCullum-says-England-have--harder--377511.jpg)
McCullum says England have 'harder feel' after West Indies clean sweep
England coach Brendon McCullum believes an overhauled Test side have developed a "harder feel" after launching their home season with a comprehensive 3-0 series rout of the West Indies.
A 4-1 loss in India was the catalyst for England, in McCullum's choice of words, to both "refine" their aggressive approach and revamp their red-ball side.
England record wicket-taker James Anderson was persuaded into international retirement, while both 100-cap veteran Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes were leapfrogged into the wicketkeeper's position by Test newcomer Jamie Smith.
Fast bowler Gus Atkinson was also given a debut during the West Indies series, with Shoaib Bashir replacing Jack Leach as England's first-choice spinner.
The youthful trio of Smith, Atkinson and Bashir all made a mark as England beat the West Indies by an innings and 114 runs at Lord's and then by 241 runs at Trent Bridge, before wrapping up the series with a 10-wicket win at Edgbaston on Sunday.
"No changes are ever easy, are they?," said England red-ball boss McCullum. "But we knew we needed to make a couple of improvements as a side and we brought in some new faces."
The former New Zealand captain added: "You don't ask for instant gratification when it comes to them but the way the series played out you'd say the guys have certainly shown they're good enough at this level.
"What we've seen from Gus Atkinson, from Shoaib Bashir and Jamie Smith, is that international cricket is where they belong and they've performed accordingly.
"Sometimes when you lose you have a period of reflection and what we've seen is a team which has bounced back with a bit of a harder feel to it. I think we're a stronger team now than we may have been in the past."
- 'Incredible Anderson' -
Anderson bowed out after the series opener at Lord's with 704 Test wickets, the most by any fast bowler in the 147-year history of the format, with only spinners Shane Warne (708 wickets) and Muttiah Muralitharan (800) ahead of him in the all-time standings.
England, however, have retained Anderson's services as a fast-bowling mentor, with a grateful McCullum saying: "What Jimmy's given in the past couple of matches is quite incredible. He's fitted seamlessly into our group of coaches.
"It's never easy but he seems really content right now, it's great to have him and I feel very lucky that he's part of our group."
England would dearly love to be able to take a battery of genuine fast bowlers with them to Australia when they seek to regain the Ashes in 2025/26.
"With the bowlers now we've got some pretty good ammo (ammunition) that we are going to need on flat wickets when times arise," said McCullum.
"Gus has touched 90mph (145kmh), been able to jag the ball off a good length and also been able to operate a bumper plan for a period of time.
"The way Chris Woakes bowled was outstanding. Then you add the speed of Mark Wood, which is quite frightening really.
"Shoaib Bashir and Stokesy (England captain Ben Stokes) are in there too... We're not the finished article but this series is a step forward."
Meanwhile, speculation continues to surround the future of England white-ball coach Matthew Mott, with the Australian's position under threat as director of cricket Rob Key conducts a review following the limited-overs team's lacklustre defence of both their 50-over and T20 World Cup titles.
"I don't know how it's going to work out to be honest, I haven't really followed it because you're worried about doing your own job," said McCullum.
"Motty is a good bloke and a very good coach. Whatever happens he'll be fine."
L.E.Campos--PC