Opening Up: The search for Captain Cook’s partner goes on
By Beating South Africa, England completed their first series win overseas since 2012 and overall it was a positive experience and one that saw several of the players involved develop into world class talents. We’re mainly talking Ben Stokes here but the batting contribution of Jonny Bairstow – let’s forget about the keeping for now – was another major plus for Trevor Bayliss and the side.
One key area remains unanswered however as Alex Hales became the latest in a line of batsmen to fail the audition as Alastair Cook’s opening partner. The skipper’s own performances were poor by his high standards – 184 runs at 23 – and clearly the side needs to address this issue ahead of their Ashes defence.
All change
Astute cricket fans may have spotted an anomaly in England’s top three even before Trevor Bayliss hinted that Hales and Nick Compton may swap places in the future.
“Swapping Compton and Hales is one of those possibilities. Compton has done the job before and I think Hales has batted at No.3 before,” the coach told ESPN’s Cricinfo.
“That is certainly an option and has been spoken about in the past.”
Bayliss went on to suggest that he needs to watch more county cricket and Notts supporters would be keen to back up his theory. In red ball cricket, Alex Hales scores most of his runs at number 3 while Michael Lumb, Brendan Taylor and Steven Mullaney alternate between the top two slots.
Alternatives
Bayliss and others have hinted at Hales getting the whole summer to prove himself in the five day game. England will start as favourites for the series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka and the attacks and surfaces may be more to the Nottinghamshire man’s liking.
Hales has helped his cause by two half centuries in the ongoing ODI series with the South Africans and both knocks showed greater application and patience – qualities more suited to the test arena. But if England are to make a further switch, there are options.
Like Sam Robson before him, Adam Lyth scored a century in his second test match but proceeded to ‘nick off’ against Australia to unacceptable proportions. Yorkshire felt that their man was harshly treated as he was excluded from the tours of South Africa and the UAE so will he get another opportunity?
Two uncapped players will also feel they have a chance although one is considerably more ‘left field’ than the other. Hampshire’s James Vince endured a difficult season with his county in 2015 but shorn of domestic worry, he played with a carefree attitude in the UAE and finished the T20 series with a respectable tally of 125 from three knocks.
Vince has subsequently been named in England’s 15 man World T20 squad and while there is an obvious step up to the demands of test cricket, that record shows an aptitude for the international game which the selectors will have filed away.
Meanwhile, Middlesex’s Dawid Malan is the least likely suggestion but after a very productive stint with the Lions against Pakistan A, the selectors will be closely monitoring his county season in 2016. The 28 year old has always been an exciting cricketer, capable of big runs but prone to soft dismissals yet a more mature season in 2015, coupled with those Lions runs could see him elevated to the full squads in the future.
The reality
In all probability, Alex Hales has done enough in this current ODI series to keep his place for the English summer. Meanwhile, Nick Compton’s place is less secure with either Ian Bell or Gary Ballance waiting to resume their test careers.
Looking further ahead, the likes of Vince and Essex’s Dan Lawrence may be long term successors but will we see another temporary fix or can Cook and Hales take England through to their Ashes defence and beyond?