Don't get trigger happy

Chris Smith pleads for calm after Lord's defeat

A wake-up call and a reminder. England’s 405-run defeat at Lord’s in the second Ashes is both of those. Australia were never going to roll over as easily as they did in Cardiff and England’s top-order batting concerns surfaced once again.

Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance and Ian Bell have been scrutinised following the Test, with many calling for some heads and some calling for all heads. But this is not the time for trigger-happy selection. While England have often ended up 40 for 3 in the last six months, there has usually been two batsmen (one of them typically Alastair Cook or Joe Root), that have spared England’s blushes to help post a competitive score.

A week ago, Ballance was being commended for compiling a gritty 61 when England were 43 for 3. Today, he is back in the spotlight with an axe looming after the manner of his dismissals at Lord’s. It would seem only England could find a reason to drop a batsman who averages 47 and has passed 50 10 times in 15 Tests.

Bell is not new to scepticism over his selection. If there has been a complaint with Bell throughout his career it is his getting out when looking in pristine form for not very many. His first-innings dismissal at Lord’s however, trying to flick a straight one from Josh Hazlewood through midwicket and getting bowled third ball, was as out of form as Bell has looked for a long time. He always finds a way of coming back though. His rotten start to the 2005 Ashes (41 runs in four innings) was negated with two fifties in the third Test at Old Trafford.

Any suggestions of Lyth’s place being under threat seem grossly premature. Lyth has been thrown into an Ashes series from his third Test against the No.1 side in the world – not many would do better opening. His aimless waft outside off stump to Mitchell Starc second ball of the first innings was lazy but there are nine days before the third Test at Edgbaston. Ballance will be religiously trying to get forward, Bell will look to go back to basics and perform on his home ground and Lyth would benefit from some close work with opening partner Cook, who has found his off stump again.

Jonny Bairstow is the one man who should be considered if any changes are made as the County Championship leading run-scorer, and that's the beauty of the Championship, there'll always be someone hitting centuries. But the series is at 1-1. It isn’t over for England yet. Show some faith, and see what the third Test brings.

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