England's Test match selectors have a major decision to make in the coming weeks. A decision which they are not quite accustomed too. However, the fact this conversation must even come up is a massive positive for English Cricket.
English Cricket fans do not have to look too far back, as early
as last summer, when the top order was a huge question mark for the side. One
Day specialist Jason Roy was a potential saviour, but this test did not pay
off. A top score of 72 against Ireland his only half century in five test
matches. The Surrey man was subsequently dropped for the fifth and final Ashes
test match at the Oval.
For another Surrey man, and Roy’s opening partner for much
of that Ashes series, the ashes series of 2019 was really the breakout series
for the left-handed Rory Burns. His slightly unusual technique was question
before the series but Burns silenced the critics with a magical 133 in the first
test match at Edgbaston. The left handers solid summer set him up as England’s long-term
option at the top of the order, this is still the case even after missing the tour
to South Africa due to injury. For me, Burns is a must at the top of the order,
he is vastly experienced and knows his game inside and out, he must play.
Another of England’s options to take one of the top three
spots is Warwickshire’s Dominic Sibley. Sibley, still only 24 years old, broke
onto the scene as an 18-year-old schoolboy scoring a magnificent double century
in the middle of his exams. Although his rise to an England international has
not been smooth and included a move to Warwickshire, now he is in the Right
hander looks set to stay for a long time. After a slightly shaky start in his
first series against New Zealand, Sibley hit a superb 133 not out against South
Africa against a strong and aggressive bowling attack. That herculean effort
was the first hundred scored by and English opener at Newlands since the great
Jack Hobbs in 1910. His technique is slightly promiscuous, but it works, and he
has an incredible temperament to not attack loose balls, excellent off his legs
he has the talent to open for years to come. For me, Sibley must be Burns’
opening partner on July 8th against the West Indies. This leaves
only one spot left in the top three, it is a battle between two Kent batsmen,
Zak Crawley and Joe Denly.
The most obvious different between the pair is that of their
age and experience. Crawley is only 22 years old and has only played in a
handful of Test matches, where as Denly is 12 years his senior and been in the Test
side for over a year.
England selectors do like to play it safe and will in the end
go for the older statesmen in Joe Denly. However, for me this would be the
wrong choice. Denly might be the safe pick but he is not the best pick to help develop
the team and help England to win test matches. 14 test matches and Denly is yet
to hit a century. Personally, picking Crawley and putting him at number three
could prove to be a masterstroke, it gives the 6ft 5 Crawley more time to
develop his game in the long form, especially in a summer of not being able to
play an county championship cricket. The London born Crawley already has a
strong technique and during his short Test career has only improved over time.
Crawley plays in my XI, leaving Denly as a good backup. Denly might end up
playing in the first test anyway because of captain Root wanting to be at the
birth of his first child.
The selectors have an incredibly tough job on their hands
but the positives to look at is that England have a conundrum in who to select
and do not have a frantic search for an opening batsman.
My XI for the first Test:
1.
Burns
2.
Sibley
3.
Crawley
4.
Root
5.
Stokes
6.
Pope
7.
Foakes
8.
Bess
9.
Archer
10.
Broad
11.
Anderson
12.
Curran (s)
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