Having steam-rollered through Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson on the evening of day one, Carse ensured New Zealand weren't able to get their deficit down to less than 150 on day two. With the third ball of his second over, he bowled a perfect delivery to Tom Blundell - pitched on a length, angling in, nipping past the outside edge of Blundell's defence and clipping the top of off stump, one bail remaining in place while the other flew away behind.

Two balls later, he struck again, this time beating the inside edge and pinning Will O'Rourke on his back leg, the review not necessary to know it was crashing into middle. Those two wickets within the first 20 minutes of the day's play at the Hagley Oval, completed a third consecutive innings with four or more wickets taken in it for Carse, following the ten-for he took in Christchurch.

Looking before that, his maiden series in Pakistan saw him take nine wickets in the two Test matches he played in Multan, in vastly different conditions. Carse was no doubt England's best seamer in Pakistan, taking his wickets at 24 apiece. Selected to bang the ball into slow surfaces and take wickets by putting pace on the old ball, arguably his rapid emergence as a premier option for England wouldn't have happened at this point if Mark Wood had been fit to reprise that role, or if Ben Stokes' hamstring had recovered in time for the first Multan Test.

Instead, England have found a gem who will surely play an important part in their grand plans over the next 18 months. While in Pakistan Carse slogged out hours in the heat to prise out his returns, New Zealand has been different. His wickets have come from a mix of relying on raw speed and brutality, as well as a consistent accuracy that's been at a level above his teammates so far.

Specifically, his returns with the old ball have given an answer to what England have historically missed overseas - a seamer who can take wickets with the old ball. The breakthroughs Carse made on the second morning at the Basin Reserve came with a ball that was more than 25 overs old. That was the same for five of his ten wickets in Christchurch, and five of the nine he took in Pakistan. While England have a long line of players who are effective with the new ball, Carse stands out as one of the only ones equally as tricky when the ball is old.

First innings: 4-64
Second innings: 6-42

Brydon Carse has made a serious impact in the England Test side.#NZvENG pic.twitter.com/wxnbmU7Xaf

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) December 1, 2024

Perhaps just as importantly, he's proved himself to be the perfect mould of cricketer for Ben Stokes' England. Eyes wide and roaring with every wicket taken, not only capable of turning games on their head but actively doing so in a spell. Once again, selecting on type rather than domestic returns has unearthed something special for England. But, unlike with some of the others they've tried over the last 12 months, this one is decidedly ready for now.

It's been a longer wait than most for Carse to make his mark in Test cricket, and his journey has been far from smooth. His pace and style of bowling have their roots in the South African pitches he was brought up playing on, while his on-field demeanour and presence bears the unmistakable marks of having spent eight years playing alongside Ben Stokes, both at Durham and with England. Steady progress on the fringes of England's white-ball sides over the last three years, leading to a two-year central contract in 2023 have kept him in the picture.

That progress was threatened earlier this year when he was handed a three-month ban for breaching ECB anti-corruption regulations for historic betting offences. Having been name-checked by Rob Key as one of the bowlers England were keen to see in Test whites, it was a blow to that progress. But, in how England have handled that, keeping Carse close and giving him that opportunity when there one has given him the space to flourish.

The speed of his success, however, leaves particularly Chris Woakes in an awkward position. Recalled for overseas duty this winter, Woakes has taken six wickets at 44.16 across three games. The summer showed Woakes was capable of taking over the role Anderson occupied for so long, as a dependable attack leader. Whether England need that from him or whether Carse's versatility with both new and old ball will edge him out will have to be decided. There's also Wood to return and potentially Jofra Archer waiting in the wings to make up an even pacier attack.

The threat to Woakes is greater considering both Atkinson and Carse's batting abilities. Although not quite the same level of dependable as Woakes, together they give England a depth which could negate the absence England always find hard to fill without their 'proper' No.8. In more ways than one, Carse provides the whole package, and it's no longer a question how England can fit him in, but more how can they not.

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