What’s the story?
Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain criticised the decision taken by the ECB to recall twice-axed Gary Ballance back into the Test squad for the opening match against South Africa which begins at Lord’s on Thursday.
While Hussain was a little optimistic that Ballance could survive against the South African pace attack, but not at the number 3 spot where England plan to shoehorn Ballance in, Vaughan was sceptical about the Yorkshire’s batsman's abilities against quality pace bowling altogether.
"Ballance batting at three worries me," Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph. "He is in fine confident form with a volume of runs for Yorkshire behind him but (Morne) Morkel, (Kagiso) Rabada and Vernon Philander are a different proposition. When he had to face three bowlers consistently bowling at more than 85mph (137 kph) he was found out."
Hussain said that he would like Ballance to come in to bat at the number 5 spot where the chances are high that the fast bowlers will get a little weary by the time he comes in.
"Ballance deserves to come back in given the runs he's scored in the Championship but I'd hide him away from the new ball a little bit at five,” he said.
In case you didn’t know...
Ballance has been in splendid form in the English domestic circuit this season scoring 815 runs at the remarkable average of 101.87 in eight matches for Yorkshire in the County Championship.
After achieving the landmark of 1000 Test runs in just 17 innings, Ballance has struggled for runs on the international circuit since with the first axing from the Test squad which came during the 2015 Ashes series before he was selected against Pakistan almost a year later.
That comeback lasted just 11 innings though as he mustered just a single half-century during the time.
The details
While Ballance usually bats at the number 4 spot for Yorkshire, and with much success as seen this season, England are contemplating playing him one down with skipper Joe Root dropping down to number 4 – a decision that has not gone down well with either Vaughan or Hussain.
Vaughan feels that Morne Morkel will prove to be the biggest threat for Ballance and questioned whether the 27-year-old improved his method of transferring his weight forward when the ball is full. The former skipper believes this could be the key factor as the South African will look to test Ballance with a few short balls before pitching one full.
Ballance did score 56 for England Lions against South Africa in a practice match recently, batting at number 4, but Hussain feels that he should be pushed further down the order to protect him from the new ball.
This would mean Root continuing at number 3 and would also avoid having as many as three left-handers in the top 4 for England – something Vaughan is strongly against considering Morkel’s success rate against left-handed batsmen.
England squad for the first Test: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Liam Dawson, Keaton Jennings, Toby Roland-Jones, Ben Stokes, Mark Wood.
What’s next?
The four-match Test series will mark the final leg of South Africa’s 2017 tour of England and having lost both the ODI and T20 series 2-1, the tourists will be hoping to put up a good show and finish off in a much better fashion.
Knocked out of the Champions Trophy, which was sandwiched between the ODI and T20 series, England has not been a happy hunting ground for the Proteas at all and they will be determined to change that equation in the Test series.
Author’s take
We have to wait and see where the England team management decides to slot Ballance in the playing 11, but no matter where he bats, he has to make his latest comeback count.
England are a team on the rise and there is no lack of talent in the domestic circuit and it is vital that he gets a few runs under his belt and assure his spot in the Test squad.
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