Ben Duckett believes addressing his fitness after a dismal winter sparked his return to form as England fought back in their Rothesay Series decider against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
The left-hander ended a run of 22 innings without a three-figure Test score with a fluent 113 off just 99 balls, having been dropped on eight by Henry Nicholls, to propel England to 223 for two in response to the Black Caps’ 438 in the heat-sapping conditions.
Duckett had a chastening Ashes with a top-score of 42 compounded by a video on social media going viral appearing to show the opener in an inebriated and confused state during a mid-series break in Noosa.
He revealed he has lost five to six kilogrammes since his return to Nottinghamshire and now feels vindicated following a seventh Test century, his first since a match-winning 149 against India at Headingley 12 months ago.
“It was incredible,” said Duckett, who reached his ton off 88 balls with a scurried single before repeatedly fist pumping the air. “I think people probably saw what it meant to me with the celebration.
“I’ve not been scoring the runs I wanted, so to get over the line at my home ground meant a lot to me. I’ve done a lot of work here in the past few months, so it was incredibly special.
“I’ve been doing a lot of fitness since I got back from the winter and certainly got my rewards in the heat. It’s been a good block for me, a refresh after a tough winter.
“It’s been a really frustrating time, because I’ve not felt out of nick, I’ve just not got the runs that I really want. Mother cricket was there for me today. I got put down and made them pay for it.”
Duckett put on a run-a-ball 179 on a batter-friendly pitch alongside Jacob Bethell, who is poised for a first Test century of his own after going to stumps at the end of day two unbeaten on 74.
“I’m not getting any younger, so I want to keep doing this and keep having days like this for as long as I possibly can,” Duckett added.
England captain Ben Stokes led the initial fightback on Friday morning, defying the baking hot temperatures in a typically bloody-minded eight-over spell which yielded three for 13 to move to 250 Test scalps.
He finished with four for 70 on his England comeback, having missed last week’s defeat at the Kia Oval following the nightclub drama that followed hours after the end of the Lord’s Test, as New Zealand lost all 10 wickets for 121 runs.
It was Stokes who made the initial breakthrough on Thursday evening that ended a 317-run opening stand between centurions Tom Latham and Devon Conway and the all-rounder demonstrated his worth again.
“Ultimately we want to be a side that never gives up and wins from different positions,” Duckett said.
“When Stokesy does that it’s pretty impossible for everyone else not to get on his back and do the same.
“Stokesy makes things happen, he’s done that throughout his whole career. Today probably won’t get spoken about but it was another one of those incredible Ben Stokes performances.”
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