Bayliss hint that Keaton will keep his place

England coach Trevor Bayliss will consider changes to England’s unconvincing top order for the Oval Test, but has indicated Durham star Keaton Jennings’ position remains safe.

Bayliss joined the critics of his own team after their alarming 340-run defeat against South Africa by describing the performance, in Joe Root’s second Test as captain, as a “shocker”.

Jennings, who made a century on debut in Mumbai last winter, has mustered only 44 runs in four Test innings so far this summer – including scores of nought and three in Nottingham.

Pondering his continued inclusion – or whether to look elsewhere, Bayliss name-checked uncapped pair Mark Stoneman, who left Durham in the summer for Surrey, and Tom Westley as well as Haseeb Hameed as possible alternatives.

He acknowledged the quandary of whether to stick with new players if they begin to run out of form, as so many have during England’s quest for an opener alongside Alastair Cook – who has had 11 partners at the start of the innings since the retirement of Andrew Strauss five years ago.

The established policy is to make sure all new selections are given a fair amount of time - seven Tests seems the benchmark - to demonstrate whether or not they are up to Test cricket.

But after six defeats in England’s last eight Tests, that luxury has become questionable.

“One of the things we’ve tried to do since I’ve come in is try to give those guys a bit longer to show what they have got,” added Bayliss. “It still hasn’t worked, to be honest.

“Keaton, for example, at the top of the order ... if we’re consistent with our selections, he should get some more goes.

“The last selection meeting we had before this series started, players like Stoneman and Westley were spoken about at length,” said Bayliss.

“Obviously, (so was) Hameed – who is a little out of form this year.

“So those types of guys, they are on the edge.”