Saqib Mahmood can offer England something different, says Darren Gough

The skiddy seamer was meant to play in the first of England’s warmup games – against a New Zealand XI – but was ruled out because of a migraine and replaced by Curran

Saqib Mahmood could provide a different challenge to New Zealand’s batsmen if selected by England for the first Test of the series, Darren Gough believes.

It appears that the only place in the tourists’ side yet to be fully resolved is that of the third seamer, with Sam Curran and Chris Woakes principally fighting it out for one spot.

Lancashire’s Mahmood, however, who struggled in the T20I series, would provide an alternative as England seek a victory in Chris Silverwood’s first Test series as head coach.

The skiddy seamer was meant to play in the first of England’s warmup games – against a New Zealand XI – but was ruled out because of a migraine and replaced by Curran. However, only Jofra Archer of England’s bowlers has displayed any potency during the two practice matches.

Last time England toured the country in early 2018, they struggled to take wickets. Stuart Broad and James Anderson provided 19 between them, but England took just seven other wickets in the two games – three of which were courtesy of Joe Root and Dawid Malan.

^{Saqib Mahmood made his England debut in the T20I series that preceded the upcoming Tests}

“He's different to the others,” said Gough, who has been working with England’s bowlers in New Zealand, of Mahmood.

“If you need control, you go to Broad. If you need a wicket, you go to Archer - but you need one more in there somehow.

“You need to get another wicket-taker in that team, someone who is going to attack the stumps.

“He's another option when the pitch is flat. We're working on reverse [swing]. He has the natural talent to do it and he's keen to learn and desperate to be better at it.

“It's finding a way to suit your type of bowling in all conditions. It's not easy - I've not seen a swinging ball since I've been here - but you find a way to attack, even on flat pitches

“If it's going to swing, the bowlers have to be prepared. If it's not and it's going to be flat, they have to be prepared because the pitches tend to get lower and slower as the game goes on. You have to find a way.”

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