Stoneman And Ashes But No.3

WHEN a coach says he has his “fingers crossed” over a selection then it’s probably fair to say he hasn’t got total confidence it will be a success.

- Chris Stocks

So, when Trevor Bayliss gave that reply to a question asking if he thought Mark Stoneman and Dawid Malan could nail down their places in England’s top six ahead of the Ashes, it was hardly a ringing endorsement from the Australian.

Both scored second-innings half-centuries during the defeat by West Indies at Headingley, with Stoneman, the opener playing his second Test, looking rather more assured in posting 52 than Malan did during his painstaking and painful-to-watch 61 from 186 balls.

England’s latest No.5 at least made a score in what was only his fourth Test, following up another stodgy half-century in the series opener at Edgbaston.

There was no surprise then that Bayliss was rather more effusive in his praise of Stoneman, Alastair Cook’s 12th opening partner in five years, than Malan.

“I suppose more than anything, they started to look comfortable at the crease,” said Bayliss. “Certainly, Mark looks like a tough type of player to me. He looks like he’s ready for a scrap the whole time but, when the bad ball comes along, he is able to put it away.

“Dawid has a couple of 60s now, looked a bit nervous in that first one but he was starting to look more comfortable in this Test.”