Top 5 number 5s in Tests for England

Batsmen at different batting positions have different roles to play and it is the same with the number 5 batsmen. The number 5 batsman needs to have the necessary defensive technique to play in Test cricket but in addition to that, he needs to be a good player of spin as well.

After all, in most cases, he will be coming on to bat when the spinners will be in operation. Additionally, he might have to bat with the tail on many occasions and would also have to make peace with the fact that he would not get many opportunities to bat long on batting friendly pitches.

England have had their fair share of great number 5 batsmen over the course of their cricketing history and many of them have gone on to become great batsmen in their own right.

Here is a look at 5 of the best.

#5 Paul Collingwood

For a long time in his career, all-rounder Paul Collingwood was regarded as an ODI specialist but once he broke into a Test side, he showed that he was a very capable batsman in the longest format. From 2003 through to 2011, the right-hander played in 68 Test matches for England and he batted at number 5 in 47 of those.

Collingwood was not a batsman who was known for spectacular stroke-making but he had a sound defensive technique, a decent range of attacking strokes and was comfortable on both the back foot as well as the front foot. Lastly, he was excellent against spinners and had the patience to play the long innings when possible.

He is the second highest scorer at the position for England with an aggregate of 2578 runs with an average of 39.66, which is lower than his career average of 40.56. Collingwood scored 6 centuries and 11 half-centuries as England's number 5.

#4 Ian Bell

The former England batsman batted various positions throughout the course of his career that spanned around 11 years (2004-2015) and 118 Test matches.

He batted at number 5 in only 42 of those Test matches and even then, he ended up at number 3 in the list of all-time highest run scorers in that position.

Bell was one of the most graceful stroke-makers in the England side and could play shots all around the wicket. However, it was his cover drive that remained his signature shot and endeared him to many fans.

On the other hand, he had a sound defence and could counter swing and pace with relative ease. He was also a good player of spin and that made him an excellent number 5.

He scored an aggregate of 2461 runs at a healthy average of 48.25 and also notched up 9 centuries, in addition to 11 half-centuries.

#3 Colin Cowdrey

The right-handed batsman is one of English cricket's most iconic cricketers. Colin Cowdrey was the first man in the history of the game to play 100 Tests and remained one of England's best batsmen for around 21 years (1954-1975).

He was a middle-order batsman and played at any positions throughout his career. He batted at number 5 in 42 Test matches and excelled at the role. Cowdrey was a teenage prodigy and soon enough he became one of England's mainstays.

He was a powerful stroke-maker and could play off both the front foot and the backfoot, depending on the state of the bowling. As a number 5, he made 2377 runs in those 42 Tests and averaged a handsome 49.52.

Cowdrey made 6 centuries and 16 half-centuries in that position.

#2 David Gower

He is, without a doubt, one of the greatest English batsmen to have ever played and as much as anything, it was David Gower's effortless stroke-making that made him one of the most pleasing batsmen to watch.

Needless to say, he scored a lot of runs as well and some of it came while batting at number 5. He played 117 Tests for England between 1978 and 1992 and out of those, he played at number 5 in 34 Test matches.

Gower's comfort against pace, swing, seam and spin was well known but he has himself said that he was not often as fiercely focussed as someone like Graham Gooch. Perhaps he could have scored many more runs had he been like Gooch but even then he did not do too badly.

He made 2131 runs in those 34 games and averaged 49.55. In addition to that, the left-hander made 7 centuries and 8 half-centuries while batting at number 5.

#1 Graham Thorpe

The left-hander was England's finest batsman in the 1990s and the early noughties and in a 12-year career (1993-2005) in which Graham Thorpe played 100 Test matches, he went on to become his country's greatest ever number 5 batsman.

Thorpe was essentially a superb counterattacking stroke-maker, who could take on the best bowlers in the world and also defend stoutly when the need arose. On the other hand, he had no trouble against spin and his ability to cut and sweep came to the fore on many of those occasions.

As a number 5, he played in 52 Tests and made the most of those opportunities, as he plundered runs against most oppositions. Thorpe made 3373 runs in those games and averaged a brilliant 56.21 (as opposed to his career average of 44.66).

He also made 10 centuries and 18 half-centuries during those course of those games at number 5.