First off a great big cherry bun with extra icing congratulations to my fellow Yorkshire lad Joe Root for his maiden century. Joe – who even went to the same school as me and my fellow author of this website (King Ecgberts in Sheffield) – simply oozes class. Barring injury he’s going to be an England fixture for many years to come.
But Joe aside there has to be concern at the form, or lack thereof, of the England top order. And questions need to be raised for a team with designs on the World number one test ranking.
Nick Compton might have a genetic history to die for – but at just a few weeks shy of his 30th birthday he’s hardly a spring chicken and is lacking in form. Doubts remain for me that he has the world class ability required at the very top of the order. There are plenty of other options out there too. Hampshire’s Mike Carberry is regularly mentioned and is perhaps at the head of the queue (although at 32 he is already into his fourth decade). But the natural option would appear to push Root up to open. He’s a natural opener and has the self-assurance and, most importantly, sheer class to occupy the most important batting spot in the order.
We then look at the rest of the batting line-up. Cook isn’t in the best of nick but will rediscover his form. He is too good a player to be held back in the 20s and 30s for much longer. Trott is the same. KP will hopefully be back in time for the Ashes and Root’s place would seem assured. Bairstow has also had a very good series so far and England should stick with him – especially as, with a bit of work with the gloves, he could be the long-term replacement behind the sticks for Prior.
There is one clear omission from the list above. Ian Bell. I hear time and time again that Bell has the best technique of all the England batsmen. Perhaps so (although when Pieterson is in the mood no one comes close to him in the England camp) but personally I’ve never felt Bell has ever quite belonged in the England line up. He’s rarely there when it really matters and always seems one good score away from being dropped (and OK usually goes out and gets the big score just in the nick of time). When Bell came to the crease today with England wobbling I never thought he would be the one to rescue the team. A nice 30 or even a 40 yes. Perhaps even a 50. But I did not have the confidence he would go out and get the century England required and that was duly delivered by Root with able support from Bairstow. England needed Bell and he didn’t quite deliver.
Perhaps I am being harsh on Bell – but I promise you this isn’t a decision based on two fairly poor games. It’s been throughout his England career that I have had my doubts and if the rest of the top order aren’t firing on all cylinders England can’t afford to carry any passengers.
“The pink ball appears grey/blue in red/green deficient vision, depending on its severity. I did a simulation with colour blindness…”