Napier: England have to find the time for Westley
TOM Westley was brought into the England Test side to fill the problematic No.3 position and while he hasn’t yet entirely convinced, former Essex teammate Graham Napier insists he deserves more time.
At 28, Westley has been something of a late bloomer, getting his first crack at Test level following Gary Ballance’s injury during the series against South Africa.
On debut at the Oval, he made a promising start grinding his way to a half-century in the second innings of the 239-run victory.
He wasn’t able to improve on that performance in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, making 29 and then nine, but Westley was comfortably the best of England’s quartet of batsmen – Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan and Gary Ballance – looking to establish themselves in the batting line-up.
Trevor Bayliss said after the series victory against South Africa that there are still places up for grabs, with Mark Stoneman coming into the team against the West Indies, with both men out for eight yesterday.
However, for Napier, who spent 19 seasons at Essex before retiring at the end of last season, England have to give Westley an extended run in the team.
Napier said: “I do hope the England selectors keep faith with him. He’s done well so far, certainly in the first game, perhaps not as well in the second.
“But it’s important for his longterm progress that they keep the faith, and that’s the whole selection process, backing people and giving them the opportunity to express themselves and play.
“I think he looked very comfortable when I watched him.
“He looks the part, which is the biggest hurdle for most to get over. Hopefully, he can start in the West Indies series.”
The irony is that Westley’s continued England inclusion would leave Napier’s former county Essex without one of their top performers in their next two County Championship fixtures – against Somerset and Lancashire.
Bidding for a first County Championship title since 1992, Essex are odds on with a 41-point lead at the top of the table.
Particularly so with Pakistan leftarm paceman Mohammad Amir in devastating form in the eightwicket victory over Yorkshire last week in Scarborough.
Their title charge has come as something of a surprise, just a year after promotion from Division Two, but nine games in they are still unbeaten with double the amount of wins of any other team in the County Championship.
And Napier is confident his former county, for whom he twice hit 16 sixes in an innings, will be able to complete the job in their final four games, with the reverse fixture against Yorkshire rounding out the season in September.
He added: “They’ve got a big enough gap now going into the last few weeks of the Championship, let’s hope they can maintain that gap going into the last few rounds of matches.
“Obviously I would love for Essex to win the title this year, and I will be supporting them all the way.” Graham Napier was speaking in support of the Lord’s Taverners. The Taverners are the UK’s leading youth cricket and disability sports charity whose aim is to give disadvantaged and disabled young people a sporting chance – go to www.lordstaverners.org to find out more.