WESTLEY: I WON’T CHANGE...
England’s No. 3 is confident in his style
IF YOU’VE spoken to anyone in the England dressing-room over the past month or so they have probably told you how impressed they’ve been with Tom Westley.
The Essex batsman has not yet backed up what is seen as a perfect temperament for Testmatch cricket with the runs needed to justify his place at No.3.
However, the feeling is those will come in time.
Westley made an encouraging half-century on debut against South Africa at the Oval late last month.
But he has not kicked on, with scores of 29, nine and eight in the two Tests since – against the Proteas at Old Trafford and West Indies at Edgbaston.
Runs will be needed in the final two Tests of the summer against the Windies, starting at Headingley today, for Westley to book his place on this winter’s Ashes tour.
Yet he is feeling confident about ultimately succeeding at Test level.
“I have enjoyed it,” says Westley. “It’s challenging as you’d expect – especially the South Africa series. I wouldn’t say they were bowler-friendly surfaces because runs were scored but it was tough as a batter.
“I enjoyed it, it was a good challenge and reflecting back on that series before this one started, I spoke to Mark Ramprakash, our batting coach, and I said, ‘I didn’t feel out of my depth’. I was just a bit gutted I didn’t capitalise on some good situations.
“If you can get to 25 or 30 or 60, it would be nice to go on and get 120. I didn’t feel out my depth but then, in the same breath, I know how ruthless and clinical it can be, chances can go like that.
“In the last game (at Edgbaston), I actually felt quite nice, got a couple of boundaries and then I was out. I didn’t feel out of my depth – I’m just looking forward to the next time I get to bat.”
The problem for Westley and the other new England batsmen looking to establish themselves before the Ashes – Mark Stoneman and Dawid Malan – is the fact they may have limited opportunities against a West Indies team that were thrashed by an innings inside three days at Edgbaston.
If the remaining two Tests follow a similar pattern, then they may only get two more innings before the Ashes squad for Australia is picked.
“I think there is an element of when you’re playing for England you have to grasp that opportunity,” says Westley.“So, for myself and the guys who haven’t played that much, you want to score a hundred every time. Whether you grasp that opportunity or not only time will tell, but that is Test cricket.
“Whether I’m playing for Essex, England Lions, the second team, I want to score runs. As a batter that is all you can do.”
Westley is confident enough in his technique – which heavily favours the legside and has drawn comparisons with former England batsman John Crawley – not to change even if some ex-pros in the commentary box have suggested it needs tweaking.
“I’m not going to be someone who changes my entire game plan because I’m playing Test cricket,” says Westley. “I’ve faced Test bowlers in tour games for Essex. In the County Championship, every team has a top quality overseas player. I’ve scored runs against them. That’s quite important to remember.
“If you can score runs against attacks including some of the best bowlers in the world then that can be achieved for England. They’re the same bowlers. You’ve just got to replicate that at Test level.”
Confidence was certainly taken from that debut fifty at the Oval against a South Africa attack that included Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
“That is one of the best bowling attacks in the world, probably along with Australia,” says Westley.
“I can take a lot of confidence from scoring runs against them, not big runs but if you can occupy the crease for that length of time, then hopefully in the future I can do that against other attacks. I don’t want to overload myself with pressure to score runs. I just want to enjoy playing for England in what is an unbelievable changing room. The guys are fantastic, they’ve made me feel welcome and it is a very relaxed atmosphere which suits me.”
As for the Ashes, could Westley make the tour even if those runs aren’t scored against West Indies?
“I hope so!” he admits.“I’d love to score no more runs and still get picked, but that is up to the selectors.
“I’m not hedging my bets that I don’t score any runs and get picked. I just want to give myself the best chance like any batter settling into the side. If I score runs then it will aid my selection.”
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