England coach Trevor Bayliss conceded that issues remain with the batting personnel, so here’s who’s in contention to earn a place in the England XI against the West Indies next week…
HASEEB HAMEED
England have made little secret that the 20-year-old Lancastrian is their preferred long-term option to be recycled as Alastair Cook’s opening partner. Hameed made an impression in India before injury struck last year – and returned to form for Lancashire this week.
Whether that is enough to restore the necessary confidence in time for the impending daynight Test against the West Indies is open to question.
Haseeb Hameed
MARK STONEMAN
The selectors have appeared curiously cool about the Surrey opener’s credentials, despite his 761 runs, at an average pushing 60, in his first season at The Oval.
Like Dick Whittington, in his case a few miles further from Durham, Stoneman has made the trip to the capital to further his quest for fame and fortune. It may well yet pay off for the lefthander, but some influential people still seem unconvinced.
Mark Stoneman
ALEX HALES
He has carried his prolific white-ball form into the County Championship, with a run-a-ball double-hundred in his new preferred position in the Nottinghamshire middle order.
Hales is this country’s current in-form batsman, and he is a conceivable alternative for either Keaton Jennings or Dawid Malan – because his previous statistics alongside Cook are not the worst of the 11 different partners tried in the last five years.
Alex Hales
GARY BALLANCE
The finger he broke in England’s 340-run trouncing at Trent Bridge is likely to keep him out of the reckoning for Edgbaston next week, and such was his onedimensional approach at times on his short-lived comeback at No3 that many will moan at the mere mention of Ballance’s name.
He remains a favourite of captain Joe Root’s, however, from their days growing up at Yorkshire – and it is far from impossible he will be back at some stage.
Gary Ballance
CHRIS WOAKES
You do not have to replace a middleorder batsman like-for-like in England’s current team. Woakes’ ongoing recovery from injury may preclude an immediate return on his home ground.
But Bayliss has pointed out that England’s extra batsman in the last two Tests was a contingency for prevailing conditions. Bowling all-rounder Woakes, with nine first-class hundreds to go with 48 wickets in 17 Tests, can help balance a team that bats down to the roller but is flaky up the list.
Chris Woakes