You’ll need a ton in second innings to survive, James

Chris Stocks says the Hampshire man will find it difficult to keep his place for England’s winter Tests

Chris Tremlett was known as a big softie during his time with England – a man mountain with the toughness of a blancmange. However, he pulled no punches on the first day of this final Test when passing his verdict on Alex Hales and James Vince.

Both fell cheaply during England’s morning collapse. Tremlett was unequivocal, tweeting:“Hales and Vince have to go for me. Not looking like test players imo [ sic -

Ed]. Both v [ sic - Ed] good one day players.” Tremlett could have also thrown the name of Gary Ballance into the ring as well, England’s batting vulnerability perfectly illustrated by this grim trio.

Ballance, of course, has at least proven himself at this level, having scored four Test centuries, although none since he was recalled this summer.

Yet Hales and Vince don’t have the same record to fall back on.

Both could class themselves unlucky yesterday, the former out to a contentious catch that replays could not prove had carried, and the latter receiving a very good delivery from Wahab Riaz that would have accounted for most batsmen.

But luck, or a lack of it, can only explain so much. As South African golf great Gary Player once said:“The harder I practise, the luckier I get.”

Hales and Vince have had underwhelming starts to their Test careers. For Hales, Alastair Cook’s eighth opening partner in four years, there are three half-centuries he can offer in mitigation following a torrid debut tour of South Africa last winter.

The last of those in the second innings at Edgbaston was the best innings of his Test career so far. So, despite averaging 28.05 after 11 Tests, he could argue he is improving and time will prove he is the answer to England’s opening conundrum.

He certainly has the right mentality to thrive at this level. His technique, though, still does not look tight enough to prosper as a world-class Test opener.

His weakness outside off-stump, so apparent in South Africa, has been worked on and improvements have been made.

Yet with seven Tests in Bangladesh and India this winter, you fear for Hales given his vulnerability against spin and technical shortcomings. Low Sub-continental bounce, not to mention turn, will present a completely different challenge to a player at his best with ball coming onto bat.

Yet given the lack of viable alternatives right now, Hales is likely to be given the winter to cement his position. After that perhaps one of the Durham pair of Mark Stoneman and Keaton Jennings, both having fine seasons, will get a chance. Vince, though, will surely not survive. The Hampshire captain is well liked by England and is the hipster’s batsman of choice – a stylish player who looks good when he’s in but too often flatters to deceive. His annoying habit of being caught in the slips driving has been illustrative of his weaknesses.

While Hales, as mentioned earlier, appears to have the mental aptitude to prosper in Test cricket,Vince’s shortcomings appear both technical and, crucially, mental as well. Test cricket is played as much in the head as it is in on the field, and Vince’s mental fragility is almost certain to see him fail.

Ballance may not be the prettiest batsman to watch, but you know he’ll probably have a prolonged career at the top because he has the knack of scoring ugly runs when needed.

Vince can be filed under the category of flashy but flaky. He is, like Mark Ramprakash and Ravi Bopara before him, a frustrating batsman just because potentially he looks so good.

But that is probably doing a disservice to both Ramprakash and Bopara, both in my view much better batsmen than Vince.

While he may look a million dollars when he nails that cover drive,Vince’s overall value is more akin to a million lire.

The 25-year-old could survive into the winter just because England will need to take a spare batsman or two to Bangladesh and India. But I’d be amazed if he stays in the XI save for a career-saving century in the second innings in this final Test.

But a top score of just 42 – achieved twice in this series – suggests Vince is unlikely to do that. England, as coach Trevor Bayliss all but confirmed after the Edgbaston Test, will play at least two spinners during the winter. That is almost certain to see a batsman miss out.

It means Vince would be the man to make way and given the reluctance of England to make wholesale changes to the top six in one fell swoop, that is likely to buy Hales and Ballance more time to convince the doubters.

For Vince, though, his time looks up.

“Vince can be filed under the category of flashy but flaky. While he may look a million dollars when he nails that cover drive his value is more like a million lire ”