Focus shifts to England batsmen

As Alastair Cook’s men were busy celebrating their Ashes series victory on Sunday, the UK press were already turning their attention to the future, with a particular emphasis on England’s batting line-up.

While player of the series Joe Root led the way with 460 runs at 57.5, other England batsmen did not fare as well during the Ashes campaign and their fortunes garnered much discussion on Sunday.

Quick single: England win belies Aussie dominance

Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott joined skipper Alastair Cook in urging Ian Bell to continue his Test career, following reports the 33-year-old was considering his future.

Bell said he would “take stock” of his future in the next few weeks after an Ashes series that saw him shifted to No.3 for the third Test, where he scored two crucial half-centuries on his home ground at Edgbaston, before making 24 runs in three innings at Trent Bridge and The Oval.

Overall he scored 215 runs at an average if 26.87, including an unbeaten 65.

“I'm pretty tired and looking forward to a break,” Bell said on BBC radio.

“Ashes series’ take everything out of you. They are physically and mentally draining.

“Hopefully, I've got a lot of cricket ahead of me. I'll take stock over the next few weeks.' 

Cook said Bell would remain a key player for the tours to the United Arab Emirates and South Africa later this year.

“He still has a big part to play,” said Cook. “He’s an absolutely wonderful player; a class player.

“I haven’t actually heard exactly what Belly has said but he’s a class player and I hope he’s around for a few more years.”

Boycott agreed, saying few batsmen – from England or Australia – had enhanced their reputations during the series.

“And in this context, it is a concern for me that Ian Bell is considering his future as an international cricketer,” Boycott wrote in The Telegraph.

“My advice would be to do nothing, go away and have a month’s rest; do not make such an important decision when you’re feeling lethargic and out of sorts.

“Does he have the hunger, the energy and desire? If not, then call it a day. But it’s a bad time to make a decision now.

“But if he could regain some enthusiasm, there are spaces available because of the alarming lack of quality county batsmen pushing for spaces in this England side.”

Controversial batsman Kevin Pietersen weighed in on the debate about who should open alongside Alastair Cook, with Adam Lyth not expected to survive the series after he averaged 12.77 from nine innings.

Pietersen took to Twitter to brand the Yorkshireman “out of his depth”, suggesting Nottinghamshire’s Alex Hales could take on the role when England travel to South Africa later this year.

(Put in Hales’s stats from the county season? Has made some big hundreds)

He said England should also drop Jonny Bairstow, who was brought into the playing XI for the third Test to replace Gary Ballance, while promoting Moeen Ali up the order and introducing leg-spinning allrounder Adil Rashid into the side.

Pietersen’s comments followed a suggestion from several pundits,including BBC commentator Jonathan Agnew, that Moeen could open for England when they meet Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in October, although ex-England wicketkeeper Matt Prior said he believed Lyth should be given another chance. 

Quick single: Rashid in the frame for Test debut

Ex-England batsman turned commentator David Lloyd backed reports Joe Root would be rested from the five-match one-day international series against Australia, saying England needed to nurture their vice-captain after his player-of-the-series performance.

“Root has got a back condition that needs managing and will need time away. He is priceless for England,” Lloyrd wrote in the Daily Mail.

Lloyd also gave his two cents (or pence) worth on the make-up of England’s next Test XI.

“Next port of call for England is the Emirates where they will probably need two spinners against Pakistan,” Lloyd said.

“Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid are the obvious candidates but there could be a surprise in there. 

“England have three outstanding young leg-spinners in Mason Crane, Josh Poysden and Matt Parkinson and I reckon they could pick one of those out of the box. Why not? Give them a go.”

Ex-England captain Nasser Hussain, meanwhile, focused on England’s ability to win away from home, classing it the “next frontier”.

“England are still a little one-dimensional. The attack is brilliant when there is swing and seam. But when the pitch is flatter they look unsure how to get 20 wickets,” Hussain wrote in The Telegraph. 

“They must work out how to get a frontline spinner in, and they need an opening batsman to partner Cook. 

“But playing away is a problem for most sides at the moment. If England want to be No 1, that’s the next frontier.

“Winning the Ashes is for the nation but if they want to go down as world class, they have to win away from home.”