NEW NAMES TO SOLVE AGE-OLD ENGLAND PROBLEMS

England could play up to three debutants as they search for a tough new edge to hit back against Proteas

ENGLAND will turn to several new faces at The Oval after Joe Root warned his team that they need to toughen up.

And skipper Root could be forgiven if he starts the game with a repetitive strain injury.

Because he will be handing out up to three new caps in the search for a backbone that was seriously lacking in the hammering in the second Test in Nottingham.

Middlesex bowler Toby Roland-Jones will join Tom Westley in making a Test debut in The Oval’s 100th Test match. But, with the pitch under covers all day yesterday, Dawid Malan could also be brought in to further bolster the batting.

Asked whether a side featuring three debutants was a cause for concern, Root replied: “The guys around them are experienced now.

“And it is a great opportunity for those coming in to show what they can do and stamp their mark on this team.

“Toby has been banging on the door for a while now. He is very skilful, so it will be great to see him in action in Test cricket. Tom has a very solid all-round game, very strong on the leg side and looks like he is very calm in the way he has gone about these last two days.

“I will have a look at the wicket and see how dry it is and, if it looks like it is going to give turn, then Liam will play and, if not, we will play the extra batter in Dawid.”

New names and faces have been a regular feature of the last few years, especially at the top of the order.

And it is in the batting where Root wants to see a harder edge to England’s game when things don’t go their way. “I think it is pretty obvious what we need to put right,” he added. “We have to make sure we recognise those periods in the game when it can be a bit tough and find a way to get through them.

“Yes, we have to stay true to ourselves, but it doesn’t mean that we aren’t able to bat for long periods of time.

“We have done it plenty of times before and last week was not good enough. When it is tough, we really need to get tight.”

England’s batting was an abject failure in both innings at Trent Bridge, which prompted some stinging comments from Root’s mentor Michael Vaughan. And, just two