Ashes 2013: Tim Bresnan is the unsung - and absolutely vital - hero of England's success Having found the men they can trust, they are keen to stand by them. It is what makes England an extremely hard team to overcome - and they are now enjoying a 12-match unbeaten run. These players know how to win. It may be a cliché, but it becomes a habit. Individuals instinctively sense when the tempo of an innings needs to change. They play without fear or apprehension. They do not get flustered if the momentum of the match shifts towards the opposition, as it did in Durham on Monday afternoon. Intrinsically they believe they can turn the situation around if they are patient and do not panic. Bresnan embodies that philosophy. He is not a glamorous cricketer. He is not an exceptional bowler or an exceptional batsman. He has never been targeted by Indian Premier League franchises or blue-chip sponsors or featured in advertising campaigns on the back of buses. But he is someone who will do anything for the good of the team. Need a nightwatchman because James Anderson has had enough of the job? Bresilad will do it. Need a few quick runs? Send in Bresy. Nothing happening on the field? Throw the ball to Bresdog. There is no fuss, no complaint, just a good natured shrug and he applies himself to the job. He is the team handyman, good at fixing things. England value that and he knows it. What Bresnan is, in fact, is a winning cricketer. Statistics suggest that he is the most successful cricketer England have ever had in terms of victories. England have won 71 per cent of the Tests in which he has played (15 out of 21) and they were victorious in every one of his first 13 games. Only four people in the history of the game have a better win ratio. Obviously he has been fortunate to have been involved in a very good, and stable, England team who are also extremely well managed. But his record is not just coincidence. Look at his influence in Durham. Negligible in the first half of the match, with one wicket and a few runs, he turned the game England's way twice on the final day, once with the bat, once with the ball. Having negotiated the last few overs as nightwatchman on the Saturday evening, he watched as Ryan Harris uprooted Ian Bell's and Matt Prior's stumps in the space of two deliveries on Sunday morning. The England lead was only 219 and there were only the bowlers to come. Instantly recognising the need to be reassert England's position, he targeted the most robotic of Australia's bowlers, Jackson Bird. He forced him for four through the off side, cuffed another boundary over slip, clipped one past mid-on and biffed a good-length ball back over his head. It was a sudden and unexpected assault which knocked Australia sideways. He added 24 in just 14 balls with Stuart Broad and a more measured 42 with Graeme Swann. When Bresnan was out England's lead was 285. In Australia's run chase, David Warner had played enterprisingly to take them to 168 for two. With Michael Clarke also batting fluently, nullifying Swann's threat, victory was within Australia's grasp. It was then that Alastair Cook threw the ball to Bresnan, more, we thought, in hope than expectation. His fourth ball found something extra, bouncing and taking Warner's edge. Once the breach had been made, Broad burst through it. We had underestimated Bresnan. Perhaps Warner had too. He is that kind of player. Loyalty makes him greater than the sum of his parts. We should all drink to that. Highest percentage of Tests wins 81% Darren Lehmann (Aus) P27 W22 L2 D3 76% Adam Gilchrist (Aus) P96 W73 L11 D12 76% Andrew Symonds (Aus) P26 W20 L3 D3 75% Stuart Clark (Aus) P24 W18 L2 D4 71% Tim Bresnan (Eng) P21 W15 L2 D4 71% Brett Lee (Aus) P76 W54 L11 D11 71% Don Tallon (Aus) P21 W15 L1 D5 70% Stuart MacGill (Aus) P44 W31 L6 D7 68% Roger Harper (WI) P25 W17 L2 D6 68% Matthew Hayden (Aus) P103 W71 L18 D14 minimum 20 Tests