Duckett Attributes Fitness Regime to Batting Success
Opening batsman Ben Duckett has credited his recent weight loss and fitness regime for his improved batting form during England's Test series. After scoring his first Test century in over a year, Duckett revealed that shedding weight following a winter fitness program has significantly contributed to his run-scoring ability, which was evident in the first two matches and clearly demonstrated in the third.
“It’s an area of my career where I haven’t necessarily helped myself or been great at,”Duckett said.
“The biggest thing is I’m not getting any younger and I want to keep doing this, to keep having days like this, for as long as I possibly can.”
Weight Loss and New Fitness Routine
Duckett lost approximately 6kg (13lb) after returning from his winter international commitments and adopting a new fitness routine that included running for the first time. He described a four-week period during which he focused heavily on fitness and reduced his time in the nets.
“I’ve been doing a lot of fitness and got the rewards today in the heat,”he said.
“I had maybe a four-week block where I didn’t hit many balls. You don’t get many windows where you can go and lose the amount of weight I lost.”
On-Field Moments and Luck
Duckett also reflected on a close call early in his innings when he edged a ball to slip but was not dismissed, which he viewed as a form of karmic comeback after being run out at the Oval the previous week.
“I was chatting to [fielding coach] Sarah Taylor this morning and I said I’ve got to get some luck eventually, that’s just how the game works,”he remarked.
England’s Bowling Performance Against New Zealand
England began the day by taking six of New Zealand’s last first-innings wickets for 77 runs, with Ben Stokes leading the attack by claiming three wickets in eight overs.
“A lot of teams would have folded in the position we were in,”Duckett said.
“We want to be a side that never gives up and wins from different positions, and when he’s doing that it’s pretty impossible for everyone else not to get on his back and do the same. That was just an incredible, incredible morning for us.”
New Zealand’s innings fell from 317 without loss to 438 all out. Despite this, New Zealand batsman Daryl Mitchell remained optimistic about the match situation.
“We had a great opening partnership and yes, you want to score more runs, but England are allowed to bowl well and I thought this morning they bowled well, they took their chances, and here we are now,”Mitchell said.
“But the cool thing is, we’ve still got a lead. Test cricket’s about five days, not just one or two, and we’ll be giving it everything we can to be there on that day five.”
