My favourite cricketer: Tim Bresnan

For the sake of full disclosure, having entered my adolescence as a slightly rotund, medium-paced swing bowler, it was perhaps inevitable that Tim Bresnan would be the cricketer with whom I most identified. 

From 2009 onwards, England’s Test side was on the up. It was a team that boasted future greats galore, controversial figures, and mavericks too. Bresnan does not fall into any of these categories. And yet, I would find myself living every second of his career as if it were my own. An omission from the Test line-up for Steve Finn was like a dagger to the heart. Why could the selectors not see that Bresnan was the perfect player to balance England’s XI? 

‘Brezzy Lad’ was the relatable side of a slightly robotic, albeit very successful, England team. Drilled by the austere Andy Flower and led by the ever-serious Andrew Strauss, Bresnan brought some much-needed likeability to one of England’s finest-ever sides. While mistakes in the field would be publicly chastised by James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann, Bresnan retained an air of geniality, even under the most trying of circumstances.

His personality drew you in. Bresnan was, and still is, the friendly Yorkshireman with an apparent sense of humour. If one were to compile a list of players from that England side to go for a pint with, Bresnan certainly tops it – although a group venture with Strauss and Kevin Pietersen would also have its merits, especially after a drink or two.

This is not to undermine the skill of Bresnan as a player. The much-fabled trajectory of English allrounders goes from Ian Botham to Andrew Flintoff to Ben Stokes – and it was Bresnan who helped bridge the gap between the latter two, consistently performing above expectation. He brought wickets, runs and a palpable sense that he was enjoying himself.

^{At the SCG, 2011}

His approach to the crease, while a far cry from the smooth run-up of a Michael ‘Whispering Death’ Holding, was full of purpose. Arms slightly flared outwards, Bresnan would chunter towards the crease before delivering with unerring accuracy. Reputed for bowling a ‘heavy ball’, Bresnan was always far more of a handful than he should have been. He could swing the ball – conventional and reverse – economically churn out the overs when nothing was happening and even deliver a spell of lively short stuff if required. A versatile bowler, capable of being a workhorse as well as something far more explosive.

Bresnan succeeded in all three formats, representing England 142 times in total – a testament to both his durability and adaptability. The Yorkshire stalwart scored valuable runs for England’s Test team at No.8 and, for a period, even wielded his bat with aplomb at No.7 in the ODI team. Six years on from his last international appearance, Bresnan remains as valuable as ever, now a matchwinner for Warwickshire on the county circuit.

What drove my adoration of Bresnan more than anything else was the sense that he was underappreciated and underrated. He was not the star of the show, and I did not wish him to be treated as such. But further recognition for his role as a vital ingredient in nearly all of England’s successes of that era I did desire.

England’s World T20 win in the Caribbean in 2010 – Bresnan was there. Finally winning the Ashes down under – Bresnan was there. Becoming the No.1 Test side in the world – Bresnan was there. The 2012/13 series win in India – you guessed it, Bresnan was there.

He was not merely a beneficiary of playing in a good team either, he was one of the reasons it was successful. Against Australia in 2010/11, Bresnan took 11 wickets in the two Tests he played, with Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey, Shane Watson and Michael Clarke among his scalps.

"Bresnan was always far more of a handful than he should have been. He could swing the ball – conventional and reverse – economically churn out the overs when nothing was happening and even deliver a spell of lively short stuff if required. A versatile bowler, capable of being a workhorse as well as something far more explosive"

At the MCG, when England raided Australia’s citadel by knocking them over for 98 in the first innings, it was a lad from Pontefract that helped lead the charge, taking the wicket of opener Phil Hughes, later removing Brad Haddin from the crease.

Perhaps it is just me, but was there an added notch of glee among the England players when Bresnan struck? A smidgen of extra exhilaration when the true team man had his moment in the Victorian sun?

Much to my disappointment, Bresnan was not guaranteed a place in England’s Test line-up, often battling with Finn or Chris Tremlett to join the holy trinity of Anderson, Broad, and Swann. The other two contenders added variety due to their pace and height but for a time, when Bresnan played, England won. It was quite that simple.

From the start of his Test career, over the course of 13 Tests from 2009 to 2012, England triumphed whenever he featured. His 14th ended a draw against the West Indies at Edgbaston, rain cruelly eliminating the first two days and Bresnan’s winning streak in the process. 

Still unbeaten as a Test cricketer, Bresnan and England headed to The Oval to face a formidable South African side. In an unfortunate twist of fate, the first and only time I saw Bresnan in a Test was his first defeat. Hashim Amla had racked up a triple-century as South Africa took control of a series that would only grow in notoriety. On the fifth day, I entered The Oval and watched Bresnan defiantly – but forlornly – bat for the draw in a typically selfless showing. He was unbeaten that day, having stoically accumulated 20 from 61 deliveries in vain. I still have a grainy photograph of him from that ultimately inconsequential innings. Well, inconsequential to everyone else in attendance, and probably to Bresnan too.

This article was published in the June edition of The Cricketer - the home of the best cricket analysis and commentary, covering the international, county, women's and amateur game