Roy was out of his depth as an opener
Roy, the piranha at the top of the order in one-day cricket, had looked like a fish out of water in the Ashes series and has been demoted to No4 batsman.
Joe Denly replaces him up the order. Roy was such a key figure for England in the World Cup that they felt it was worth a punt on trying to develop him as an opener in the Test team.
It has not worked out.
Roy’s average of 8.85 as a Test opener is the lowest bar New Zealand’s Ken Rutherford of any batsman to have done the job on as many occasions as he has.
He has scored just 57 runs so far in the Ashes series.
England coach Trevor Bayliss admitted before the third Test that Roy would probably be better off in the middle order, where he plays his red-ball cricket for Surrey.
“I think he probably is suited to the middle order but we’ve selected him in the top of the order because of his form in the one-day team,” said Bayliss. “Long term he’s more middle order. He’d feel more comfortable there but he’s doing a job for the team at the moment.”
Denly will swap places with him in Manchester, partnering Rory Burns, having shown plenty of application and character in his 50 in the second innings at Headingley.
His contribution was overshadowed by the Ben Stokes Show but may have saved his Test career. England will hope against hope the new combination will give them some sort of launchpad in the fourth Test, having not managed an opening stand which has lasted 10 overs in the series.
England are likely to name an unchanged side, personnel-wise, although they have the option of shuffling their bowling attack after adding Somerset pace bowler Craig Overton to the squad yesterday. Overton played the last of his three Tests in Roy will switch roles with Denly after another cheap dismissal in the third Test
FAILED AGAIN
England’s defeat by New Zealand in Auckland 18 months ago but has been in good form this summer with 32 first-class wickets at an average of 21.
Chris Woakes would be the most vulnerable of England’s bowlers in the event of a like-for-like swap, unless they go for an all-pace attack and leave out Headingley hero Jack Leach.
Such a move would probably cause questions in the Houses of Parliament whatever the other business they have on next week.
Australia are certain to recall their dangerman Steve Smith despite his inconclusive return from concussion against Derbyshire.
Smith made a modest 23 from 38 balls yesterday before holing out at deep cover thrashing at Matt Critchley’s leg breaks.
Having faced only five balls against seam bowling on his comeback after being felled by Jofra Archer at Lord’s, Smith then headed straight to the nets for practice.