England's Test match hopefuls have been a topic of discussion, with Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain weighing in on James Rew's chances. Rew, the top run-scorer in the country, faces stiff competition in the middle order from Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Ben Stokes.
His best chance of selection might be to open the batting, potentially challenging Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett. Atherton noted that Rew's impressive form in the County Championship, where he is second only to Jamie Smith in terms of runs scored, could force England into a selection dilemma for the first Test against New Zealand.
Hussain pointed out that opening is a specialist position and questioned whether Rew could adapt to this role. The pair discussed possible solutions, including moving Bethell up to open and having Rew at three, but this would require Root to move from his preferred position at four.
Atherton emphasized that to open for England, a player should ideally be batting in the top three for their county. Other players who have caught Atherton's eye in the County Championship include Sonny Baker, Henry Crocombe, and Sam Cook, who could potentially challenge for a spot in the England team.