England ready to try Gubbins in Lord’s Test
Nick Gubbins has put himself within touching distance of an England debut against Pakistan at Lord’s as new national selector Ed smith contemplates breathing new life into a Test side without a win in seven matches this winter.
The Middlesex opener was dismissed for 99 against Gloucestershire yesterday and that score, along with three hundreds in four innings across all formats, has propelled him into the frame for the first match of the international summer on May 24.
Sportsmail understands England are seriously considering bringing in 24-year-old Gubbins (below) for surrey’s out-of-touch Mark stoneman but there will be no radical overhaul under the new stewardship of smith.
England are keen to move ben stokes and Jonny bairstow up the order and they will probably bat at five and six, with Liam Livingstone another possible debutant at seven after making a good impression in new Zealand.
Jack Leach will retain his place as the sole spinner when the selectors meet at Lord’s on Tuesday but the seam attack will have a familiar look, with Mark Wood, chris Woakes and craig Overton competing to join stokes, Jimmy Anderson and stuart broad. Moeen Ali misses out but will be in contention as a second spinner when England play india later this summer.
The old will join the new at Tuesday’s selection meeting as smith will be surprisingly joined by Angus Fraser and Mick newell.
The pair were expected to make way once the national selector role was filled but have been invited, with England coach Trevor bayliss, to provide their input in picking those to face Pakistan at Lord’s the following week.
Test captain Joe Root and director of cricket Andrew strauss will be present but smith will have the final say.
The retention of Fraser and newell, directors of cricket at Middlesex and nottinghamshire respectively, will provide continuity but slows the Ecb’s plan to move towards independence in its selection process.
The squad chosen by the selectors will face Pakistan in two Tests at Lord’s and Headingley, and Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur revealed his side are using videos of new Zealander Tr en tboult’ s destruction of England at Auckland in March to plan the demise of Root’s team.
boult aimed for a full length with the new ball to expose England’s nonexistent footwork, reducing them to 27 for nine.
Arthur wants Pakistan’s bowlers — especially boult’s fellow left-armers Mohammad Amir and Rahat Ali — to follow suit as they aim for a first Test series win in this country since 1996.
‘You don’t often see teams 27 for nine,’ Arthur said. ‘it was bizarre but i did marvel at the spell of swing bowling from Trent boult. We used it in our bowlers’ meeting on Thursday, when we looked at the lengths they should bowl. Our bowlers have been great, but our lengths have just been a little bit short.
‘That’s common with subcontinental teams who come to England.’
Meanwhile, England’s T20 superstar Jos buttler last night scored a thrilling, unbeaten 95 off 60 balls to lead Rajasthan Royals to a four-wicket win against the chennai super kings in the iPL.