England to back Buttler, but Denly in the firing line
England are set keep faith with Jos Buttler despite defeat to West Indies in the first Test of a three-match series, but time could be up for Joe Denly.
Captain Joe Root is defined to return for the next Test starting on Thursday at Old Trafford after missing the four-wicket defeat in Southampton to wait the birth of his second child.
The England selectors have big decisions to make after again losing the game with the bat instead of the ball regardless of the controversial omission of Stuart Broad.
An under-par 204 in the first innings and the loss of five wickets for 30 works on the fourth evening set the platform for the tourists to take first blood.
Denly and Buttler were involved with both passages and find themselves increasingly under great pressure for their places - the former being squeezed by Root’s return and Zak Crawley’s fine 76 on Saturday, the latter from Surrey gloveman Ben Foakes.
England head coach Chris Silverwood, though, has only offered strong reassurance to 1 of the duo.
Buttler includes a Test average of just 23.22 since the start of 2019 and today only one hundred in 75 innings.
“I’m not gonna decrease that road yet of putting Jos under great pressure, because I don’t think it’s likely to help him,” said Silverwood. “First and foremost we want to give Jos the very best opportunity to succeed.
“But I’m sure he's asking the same questions. He looked brilliant getting into this game, used and everything and he looked very good in the first innings. He just needs to go and make those big scores now doesn’t he? He knows that aswell.
“From our perspective it’s just ensuring he feels confident in the surroundings he’s in.”
There looks certain to be change higher up the order, though, with Denly’s knocks of 18 and 29 doing little showing that he can haul his performances up to the mandatory standard for a long-term Test number three.
At only 22, Crawley is 12 years Denley’s junior and by making England’s top score of the match in tense circumstances in the next innings he seemed to make an irresistible grab for the shirt.
“We’re all desperate to see Joe do effectively. We are able to see he’s trying hard, he’s training hard and he’s an excellent bloke, hence why we all visited see him do well,” said Silverwood.
“But obviously he’s under great pressure a little bit, yes. Zak is increasing constantly. I believe he certainly showed maturity and the innings he played was very good.
“We've some young players for the reason that side that seem to be to have good heads on the shoulders, and he’s one of them. That’s what we are looking for."
