Fast and furious Atkinson and Carse are now the main men of England's pace attack

After another 11 wickets in the second Test in Wellington, and a combined total across the tours of Pakistan and New Zealand now standing at 39, there can be no doubt this has been the winter of Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse.

- Mark Ramprakash

Only six months ago England's planning for next winter's Ashes would have been all about getting Mark Wood and Jofra Archer fit. Now they might not get in the team.

Atkinson has played 10 Tests and Carse only four, but they have already shown they are capable of such penetrating bowling at this level.

Although they are both right-arm fast bowlers, they pose contrasting threats: Atkinson is a little more skiddy in his trajectory, so he can bowl a back-of-a-length ball that would probably go on to hit the top of the stumps, whereas Carse generates a bit more bounce. Atkinson can find a bit of swing; Carse hits the pitch hard looking for seam. Chris Woakes takes the new ball in this England team and he has used it well, but it's Atkinson and Carse who have the opposition rattled. It is massively important that both are also very capable batters, and that could have a really big impact next winter.