Trevor Bayliss fears county cricket may not be preparing batsmen to succeed with England

Opener Keaton Jennings made only three runs in two innings at Trent Bridge
AFP/Getty Images
Tom Collomosse18 July 2017

Trevor Bayliss fears county cricket is failing to give batsmen the tools they need to succeed for England.

England’s batting is a major concern as they prepare for next week’s Third Test at The Kia Oval, which starts on July 27. South Africa won the Second Test at Trent Bridge by 340 runs to level the Investec Series 1-1, with England’s two innings occupying just 96.1 overs.

The selectors were due to meet coach Bayliss and captain Joe Root – perhaps today/on Tuesday – to discuss the squad for The Oval, with an announcement possible as soon as Thursday. There are fitness doubts over batsman Gary Ballance, who had an x-ray on his left index finger, and fast bowler Mark Wood, who is suffering bruising to his heel.

Bayliss hinted that Keaton Jennings, who made just three runs in Nottingham, would be retained, but the Australian also name-checked Surrey opener Mark Stoneman and Essex batsman Tom Westley.

​Bayliss told Standard Sport: “Since Andrew Strauss retired [in 2012], all the guys at the top of the order have been picked because they’ve done well in county cricket.

“They have probably started off well and then fallen away a little. So that’s a concern, obviously. One of the things we’ve tried to do is give those guys a bit longer to show what they have got. It still hasn’t worked, to be honest.

“Keaton, for example, at the top of the order – if we’re consistent with our selections – should get some more chances. The last selection meeting we had before this series started, players like Stoneman and Westley were spoken about at length. “There is also Haseeb Hameed (who played three Tests against India last winter) but he is a little out of form for Lancashire this year. So there are these types of players, on the fringes.”

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Since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012, Alastair Cook has not had a regular batting partner in Test cricket, with nobody proving himself suited to the task for long enough.

England showed scant ability to bat time and frustrate the South Africa’s bowlers at Trent Bridge, bringing fierce criticism from former captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan. Hussain accused England of playing “a rubbish brand of cricket” while Vaughan suggested the players undervalue the demands of the Test game.

Root refuted Vaughan’s remarks but the fact remains that England have lost seven of their last 10 Tests.

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