Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Ashes 2015: Jonny Bairstow in England squad for third Test
Yorkshire batsman Jonny Bairstow has replaced Gary Ballance in the England squad for the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston, starting on 29 July.
The inclusion of Bairstow, 25, is the only change to the squad beaten by 405 runs in the second Test at Lord’s where Australia levelled the series at 1-1.
Bairstow, who has 14 Test caps, has scored five County Championship centuries this season, including 139 in Yorkshire’s current match.
Ian Bell is set to bat at number three.
Joe Root, who scored 134 and 60 in England’s 169-run win in the first Test at Cardiff, also moves up a place in the order to number four with Bairstow at five.
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew |
|---|
| “England are refusing to appear panicked by their heavy defeat but one change was inevitable. Ballance simply didn’t look to be in any form at all at Lord’s. |
| “Bairstow has had a remarkable string of success for Yorkshire, scoring one double, four centuries and four 50s in 11 first-class innings.” |
Yorkshire’s Ballance, 25, loses his place after making 134 runs in eight Test innings this summer.
Bell and opener Adam Lyth, who made a century in the second Test against New Zealand at Headingley in May, have also struggled but both retain their place in a 13-man squad.
Yorkshire left-hander Lyth, 27, has also received an England increment contract for 2014-15.
National selector James Whitaker said: “The break ahead of the third Test will give the squad time to reflect on the series so far and a chance to focus on playing the positive, confident cricket we saw in Cardiff.
England top order this summer |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innings | Runs | Average | Highest | |
| Cook | 8 | 448 | 56.00 | 162 |
| Lyth | 8 | 200 | 25.00 | 107 |
| Ballance | 8 | 134 | 16.75 | 61 |
| Bell | 8 | 116 | 14.50 | 60 |
“Jonny has worked extremely hard at his game and his record for Yorkshire speaks for itself. He fully deserves this opportunity.
“We feel that [Ballance] will benefit from some time in county cricket to rediscover his form. He has already had plenty of success at international level and as selectors we are confident Gary will play a significant role for England in the future.”
England squad to face Australia in the third Test at Edgbaston: Alastair Cook (Essex); Moeen Ali (Worcestershire); James Anderson (Lancashire); Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire); Ian Bell (Warwickshire); Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire); Jos Buttler (Lancashire); Steven Finn (Middlesex); Adam Lyth (Yorkshire); Adil Rashid (Yorkshire); Joe Root (Yorkshire); Ben Stokes (Durham); Mark Wood (Durham).
BBC Sport