Bayliss to reach in glovebox for Foakes
Dan axe shocks Boks
DANNY CIPRIANI’S axing from the England squad has stunned South Africa.
Cipriani, below, was dropped despite leading England to their third-Test victory over the Springboks in June, a game in which he made a big impression on Rassie Erasmus.
The Boks coach said: “I was surprised he’s not involved. The way Eddie Jones is building his squad, he has his ducks in a row in terms of who is his second and third choice and how he mixes and matches them. I just know Danny is a talented player and has certainly got a bag full of tricks. Cipriani in the last game definitely brought something new to their game.” ❑SHARKS fly-half Robert du Preez will this week arrive at Sale on a three-month deal as AJ MacGinty recovers from shoulder surgery. BEN FOAKES could make a Test debut next week after Jonny Bairstow was all but ruled out of the first warm-up match in Galle.
Bairstow is still struggling with the ankle ligament injury he suffered playing football in the one-dayers, with Foakes brought into the squad as cover.
But Foakes could even leapfrog expected replacement keeper Jos Buttler behind the stumps.
England coach Trevor Bayliss is known to be a huge fan of the Surrey player, who toured with England to Australia last winter and made a strong impression without playing a Test.
Bayliss had to convince national selector Ed Smith to call him up when Bairstow’s injury first occurred, and with Smith arriving on tour tomorrow, the battle to pick him in the team will be next.
Buttler has done the job in the white-ball series but at times has been a little untidy, especially keeping to leg-spinner Joe Denly in the T20 match. “All options are on the table,” said skipper Joe Root ahead of the game against a Sri Lankan President’s XI. “The obvious choice would be to play Jos, and Jos will play as a batter regardless, but we are in a position of luxury, where we have so many different options.”
Root also said Test stalwart Stuart Broad could be dropped from the side for the first time since 2012 with three spinners in Galle a likely strategy. Root said: “We’ve been away from home a number of times and struggled, so we may look at a different formula with or without Stuart.”
Australia Test captain Tim Paine, meanwhile, says the independent review launched in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal and subsequent new ‘players’ pact’ will act as a “line in the sand”.
There was international outcry after Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera using sandpaper to change the condition of the ball during a Test against South Africa in March.
Bancroft, Ashes-winning captain Steve Smith and opener David Warner were all axed from the side and handed extensive bans. One of the outcomes from the review was the establishment of a ‘players’ pact’, which aims to restore faith in the national team.
Paine said: “This represents a commitment from Australian players to adhere to a set of over-arching standards.”