TOUGHEST DECISION
ENGLAND CHIEF PONDERS LOTS OF QUESTIONS AHEAD OF FIRST TEST SELECTION
Trevor Bayliss admits he faces the toughest selection meeting of his two-year tenure as England coach ahead of next week’s first Investec Test against South Africa.
Bayliss names his squad tomorrow for the series opener at Lord’s while contending with a number of injury concerns in his bowling attack, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad among them.
And the chief cause of anxiety in the batting lineup is the collapse in form endured by opener Haseeb Hameed, who has failed to reach a half century since returning from a successful winter in India.
Bayliss, however, welcomes the number of options available as England prepare to open hostilities against South Africa next Thursday.
“In the two years I’ve been here it will be the toughest selection meeting that I’ve had. It’s a good problem to have when you’re struggling to know which guys to put in,” Bayliss said.
“It will depend what happens at the top and where we decide to bat Jonny Bairstow. There are a few possibilities.
“Someone like Mark Stoneman has been doing well at the level below. Does Joe Root go back to three and we put an extra middle order player in?
“Where does Jonny Bairstow bat? This is all up for discussion and we’ll come up with an answer.”
Broad is struggling with a bruised left heel but it is hoped the Nottinghamshire all rounder will be able to play in Saturday’s One Day Cup final at Lord’s as a warmup for the first Test.
“We’ll know more tonight before our selection meeting in the morning,” Bayliss said.
“He’s been training the last couple of days when we’ve been putting him through more of a test and if he comes through that he’ll play in the one-day final as a test for the Test match.”
While Hameed is struggling, England can take comfort in the rampant form of Alastair Cook, who has struck three centuries since relinquishing the captaincy to Joe Root.
“It’s great that after giving away the captaincy he’s still got that hunger for runs and it was great to see him making another hundred (on Wednesday),” Bayliss said.
“I’m sure he’s looking forward to this Test series. I’m sure that as an ex-England captain it will be bit of a juggling act for him in terms of how much he gets involved. He and Joe Root get on really well. If he feels something needs to be said, he will.”
England must also decide whether to give Gary Ballance another Test chance on the strength of his fine form for Yorkshire this season.