Fab Foakes playing for keeps now
BEN FOAKES has been anointed as England’s new No 1 wicketkeeper after Joe Root confirmed he will keep the gloves for the second Test.
Foakes has seen off the challenge of Jonny Bairstow for now with the Yorkshireman approaching full fitness and ready to compete for a spot in the side as a batsman only if he passes a late test.
“We’ve come to Sri Lanka to win this tour,” said Root. “And in these conditions, Ben is the best option behind the stumps and he is going to keep.
“Jonny is still a week or so off being 100 per cent, but he’s mad keen to get back out there and play, and what he has done over the last couple of years has been exceptional.
“Jonny is a fine keeper and he has pretty much been faultless. He has not really stood out at all, which is probably a good thing for a wicketkeeper.
“Long term we see him as a focal part of the Test team, but it’s a great opportunity for Ben to show his ability, and you’ve got to reward a performance like last week.”
Foakes claimed his solitary Test – in which he scored 144 runs, took two catches, a stumping and did not concede a bye – was enough of a reward for his dedication and efforts in trying to become an England cricketer.
However, he has also been singled out for his inspirational performance – and white-ball keeper Jos Buttler has been taking notes.
“Ben is a fantastic gloveman,” said Buttler. “It’s a little wake-up call that he’s the level you need to get to.”
The other dilemma facing Root is who should bat at No3 tomorrow, with Buttler underlining his willingness to be a shortterm fix.
The experiment with Moeen Ali at first drop ended in double failure at Galle and, with an increasing reliance on his bowling, England are keen to slip him back down the order.
Buttler was slated to do the job in Galle if England had bowled first, so despite the suggestion that either Ben Stokes or Bairstow could take on the role, it is the vice-captain who appears favourite to answer his captain’s call. “If required, I’m happy to do it,” said Buttler.
“In this part of the world it doesn’t matter too much where you bat and the style of cricket is very similar, with probably a 90 per cent chance of starting your innings against spin.
“Potentially, it could be the best time to bat as well. You’re just trying to read the game and play accordingly, whatever position you’re batting. It would probably just be for this series, as in England it is a very different style of cricket. Whether I’ve got the game to do that in England, I may have to improve in certain areas.”
On arrival at the ground in Kandy, England were taken aback at how dry the pitch was two days out, which suggests much more assistance for the spinners than originally thought, paving the way for a similar-looking bowling attack to the first Test.
But if England believe seam is likely to play even less of a role than in Galle, where just 45 overs were sent down all match, they Bairstow back Anderson.
“We need to have another look at the surface and see how we think it will play,” added Root. “It’s probably a little bit dryer than I anticipated it to be.”
HOW THEY LINE UP (probable): Karunaratne, K Silva, de Silva, Mendis, Mathews, R Silva, Dickwella (wkt), Perera, Dananjaya, Lakmal (capt), Pushpakumara. (probable): Burns, Jennings, Buttler, Root (capt), Stokes, Moeen, Foakes (wkt), Curran, Rashid, Leach, Anderson.
Sri Lanka England could bring for James
Umpires: S Ravi, M Erasmus. TV umpire: C Gaffaney. Start: 4.30am. TV: Sky Sports.