The Cricket Paper

Resting Jonny is pointless

- MALCOLM WATSON, BERKSHIRE

FOLLOWING the decision to rest Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow from playing for Yorkshire, their lack of cricket cannot have helped their disappoint­ing performanc­es when they were allowed to play in the recent match against Hampshire.

No wonder Andrew Strauss is being referred to in Yorkshire as ‘The Handicappe­r’. He could further enhance this role if Gary Ballance, the Championsh­ip’s leading run-scorer and averaging 127, was picked for the Tests. Editor’s reply: It was pointless keeping Bairstow away from Yorkshire duty. But it shows England’s intentions for the Champions Trophy that they are desperate to avoid injuries.

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