England’s squad for their three-Test series in Sri Lanka includes the most left-field selection of Ed Smith’s brief reign as national selector: Joe Denly, of Kent and formerly Middlesex, as a top-order batsman, along with Olly Stone, the fast bowler who has been picked for the ODI squad, and Surrey’s captain Rory Burns.
Denly is aged 32 and has a first-class batting average of 36. When he moved to Middlesex and batted in the first division, that number declined to 28.
Denly has played nine ODIs and five T20s for England but the last of them was back in 2010.
Commenting on the selection, Ed Smith, who also played for Kent and Middlesex, said: “Joe Denly has had an excellent season with bat and ball and has matured into one of the leading players in county cricket. He has that all-round touch of class that can help at the highest level.”
One of the leading players in county cricket? This is somewhat far-fetched. His leg-spin has also been mentioned as a factor in his selection – and it has improved this season – but to think that someone with 59 first-class wickets at 38 runs each will have an impact on Sri Lanka is rather fanciful.
England Test squad for tour of Sri Lanka
- Joe Root (Yorkshire) captain
- Moeen Ali (Worcestershire)
- Jimmy Anderson (Lancashire)
- Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire) wk
- Rory Burns (Surrey)
- Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
- Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
- Sam Curran (Surrey)
- Joe Denly (Kent)
- Keaton Jennings (Lancashire)
- Jack Leach (Somerset)
- Ollie Pope (Surrey)
- Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
- Ben Stokes (Durham)
- Olly Stone (Warwickshire)
- Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
There was more substance in Smith’s estimation of Stone, Warwickshire’s fast bowler, although the fact that he, like Denly, has been playing in the second division this season should also be factored in.
“Olly Stone is an exciting talent who bowls with pace and skill. His 37 wickets in the County Championship have come at an average of 12.27 and a strike rate of 22.22,” Smith said.
? 114-17-382-33 at an average of 11.57!@OllyStone2‘s 2018 first-class figures… ? ?#YouBears pic.twitter.com/C2uV795KPz
— Warwickshire CCC ? (@WarwickshireCCC) September 10, 2018
What is unequivocal is Smith’s appreciation of Burns, who looks as though he will be thrown in at the deep end to partner Keaton Jennings, even though Sri Lanka now open their Test bowling with two spinners.
“Rory Burns, who has led Surrey to the Championship title, has been the most consistent run-scorer in county cricket in recent seasons and fully deserves his elevation to the Test squad,” added Smith. “Rory is the leading Championship run-scorer this season with 1319 at an average of 69.”
