POTTS 'N METTLE

Matthew on the road to being England regular

- RORY DOLLARD

MATTHEW POTTS wants to show England he can be a threat in all conditions after a promising start to his touring career in Pakistan.

Potts made his Test debut two and a half years ago, right at the start of the ‘Bazball’ era, but has had to wait until this week’s second Test to win a first overseas cap.

The sultry heat and hard-baked pitch in Multan could hardly be more different to the seamer’s local stomping ground of Durham, but Potts showed he was up to the challenge as the tourists held Pakistan to 259-5 on the first day after losing the toss.

He lived up to his reputation as a workhorse – getting through 17 overs, breaking the key stand between centurion Kamran Ghulam (118) and Saim Ayub (77) just before tea and only missing out on a second wicket when captain Ben Stokes failed to review a thin edge from Mohammad Rizwan.