Trevor Bayliss hints at "senior" no.3 for opening Ashes Test match

England were unconvincing for large portions of both of their innings in the victory over Ireland at Lord's, and their 56-year-old coach has suggested a change is needed in the top order

Trevor Bayliss is preparing for his final Test series as England coach before going on to replace Tom Moody at Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. 

The 56-year-old took over the reins in May 2015 and will end his time with Joe Root's men with a series against the country of his birth.

However, the same batting woes that have haunted his current side in Test cricket over the last few years remain everpresent.

England collapsed from 36 for 1 to 85 all out in the first innings against Ireland at Lord's, before the batsmen crumbled once again from 171 for 1 to 219 for 6 in the second.

Those statistics have increased the pressure on the top and middle-order batsmen ahead of The Ashes, and Bayliss admits he may be tempted into making a change.

Asked if a senior player at no.3 would be considered, Bayliss said: "It's possible, yes.

"I'm pretty sure it won't be anyone outside this squad.

[Having Root there] has been my thought for a few years. He did it for whatever it was.

"[But] look, Joe's the captain. He'll make the final decision, as he did when he went back to four.

"He knows how I feel. Whether he goes in at 1 for 20 or 2 for 20, he can still cop a good one.

^{Trevor Bayliss believes Joe Root should fill the no.3 hole}

"It [the Ireland game] certainly gives us a little bit to think about, probably more so from not a negative point of view but areas we've got to be careful of an areas we've got to get better at.

"That's more to do with the approach to our batting.

"I don't think we’ll have any problems getting up for the hype that's around The Ashes. We've played a lot against the Australians and the bowlers they've got. Bring it on."

Much of the attention on England's batting horror show fell on Jonny Bairstow, who completed a pair against Ireland by falling to Tim Murtagh in the first innings before being trapped leg before by Mark Adair in the second.

The Yorkshire wicketkeeper batsman was in imperious form during the World Cup, and Bayliss has admitted that his current struggles in red-ball cricket are partly down to the 50-over tournament, and hopes the imminent rest period will do him and Joe Root some good.

"I'd have to say yes it [the World Cup] was a factor.

"I wouldn't say it was the only factor. Getting up for these types of games, as I've tried to allude to, seems to be a little bit more difficult than it should be.

"It would have been nice to have another week to let it [the World Cup final] all soak in and take stock of it all.

"Two or three days and then you're back into thinking about planning another Test match. It's been on the cards for a while, we knew it was going to be the case if we made the final.

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

"Root is captain and you desperately want him to play, Jonny the same. They wanted to have some red-ball practice, they had been playing white-ball for quite a while.

"We've got an extra day off now so hopefully over the next three or four days they have got the opportunity to get away from it, down tools for a while and then we get back together for Tuesday and Wednesday practice."

Jason Roy however did manage to put a scratchy first innings effort behind him to score 72 in a 145-run stand with Jack Leach to put England back into the game.

Nevertheless, Bayliss has warned the World Cup winner he must pick and choose his moments in the longer format.

"Like any debutant, he looked nervous but to score 70-odd in your first Test was a good effort.

"There was a bit more in those wickets than I'm sure he's been used to in white-ball cricket over the last few years but runs are runs. He wouldn't be the first player to look scratchy and eek out runs. In fact, that's a good sign, I think.

"We want him to go out and play his natural game but in red-ball cricket you have to be a little more selective. You have to make sure the ball is underneath your eyes or it really is a true half-volley, especially on a wicket that's doing a bit.

"You've got to adapt. We've spoken about that through the World Cup and the white-ball series. The guys have got it in them but with the Dukes ball it does do more than the Kookaburra ball.

"One of the good things about playing an extra game before The Ashes is that it gets you back into that mindset that the red ball can be a little bit more dangerous than the right ball."

^{Jason Roy hit 72 against Ireland in a huge partnership with Jack Leach}

Despite their batting problems though England looked imperious with ball in hand, with Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad dismantling Ireland's chase of 182 to win.

Jofra Archer and Olly Stone, the latter also playing against William Porterfield's men, have therefore seen competition increase for places, but while Bayliss has urged caution on the former, the Australian insists the latter is ready to form part of an Ashes side if called upon.

"He [Archer] has come back from Barbados saying he's fine. Even when it feels fine, sometimes it's not at 100 per cent. 

"It's something we'll have to discuss between now and the final selection of the XI - whether he's bowled enough overs. We've got a duty of care to him and not necessarily bowl him into the ground when he hasn’t played a red-ball game for 12 months.

"He [Stone] showed us what he can do in the white-ball game in Sri Lanka and unfortunately got an injury. He's got good pace, gets it in good areas, hopefully there'll be no more injury concerns. He's one of those young fast bowlers who are right on the fringes and starting to play international cricket.

"We think he’s got the goods to play a lot more.

"Certainly anyone who's in this Test squad is pretty close to being selected in an Ashes squad.

"Five matches in six weeks, or whatever it is… I'd be very surprised if either team gets through without having to make one or two changes to their bowling line-up."

To celebrate England winning the World Cup you can subscribe to The Cricketer for just £20.19. Click here to learn more