Looks like Lawrence might be given an opportunity to stake a claim in the First Test side against the West Indies as this is the line up for their initial warm up game:
England (first XI expected to bat): Crawley, Lees, Root (c), Lawrence, Stokes, Bairstow, Foakes (wk), Woakes, Overton, Wood, Robinson, Leach
Bryan Charles has just come on to bowl. Now I know that his first name isn't spelt like that of Lara but this cannot be a coincidence. I also suspect that his middle names of Nigel and Lennox are due to his dad being a big fan of the former boxers Benn and Lewis respectively.
Jason Roy has pulled out of the IPL due to not wanting to be away from his family for two months. He's just returned for the PSL and his second child was only born in January.
A few of the players who've done overseas franchise cricket along with England bubbles seem to be struggling
Just watched a few minutes of it. I don't know if my fat fingers pressed on something but I was getting subtitles coming up......which were hilarious & far better than watching the cricket. No idea who is doing the subtitles but they certainly aren't West Indian !!!
Was Lees so much slower than Zak and Root because he was playing a careful, solid "anchor" innings, or did he just struggle to score?
He was slow but clearly mindful that he couldn't afford a low score, not so much from the perspective that he might not make the Test team but more because he wanted to go in with a score behind him. It was a decent innings without actually telling us too much particularly as the opposition bowling attack wasn't threatening
Was Lees so much slower than Zak and Root because he was playing a careful, solid "anchor" innings, or did he just struggle to score?
He was slow but clearly mindful that he couldn't afford a low score, not so much from the perspective that he might not make the Test team but more because he wanted to go in with a score behind him. It was a decent innings without actually telling us too much particularly as the opposition bowling attack wasn't threatening
That's the problem with leaving out Burns and Hameed and playing Lees here. Lees may score runs in the Windies, but we've no idea whether he'd be any better against say Australia, down under.
I had hoped the Broad/Anderson removal was going to be an opportunity to blood something more exciting and a team that might take wickets in all conditions . As it it , 3 80 mile per hour seamers and a defensive spinner . I’m excited.
Bairstow is a big, strong lad but he's definitely looking like his carrying a bit. Perhaps it was him (and not Robinson) who refused the skin-fold test prior to the Ashes and accused the management of wanting to "fat shame" him? Shouldn't be a major issue as long as he reaches the fitness levels required which is something that Robinson failed to do on the tour.
Comments
England (first XI expected to bat): Crawley, Lees, Root (c), Lawrence, Stokes, Bairstow, Foakes (wk), Woakes, Overton, Wood, Robinson, Leach
Subs: Fisher, Mahmood, Parkinson, Pope
https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/2509726?utm_source=FBPAGE&utm_medium=England+Cricket&utm_content=100002944041439+&utm_campaign=Other+Campaigns
Lees 1* (30)
Crawley 18* (31)
Lees 65 (214)
Crawley 62 (106)
Root 56 (105)
Lawrence 16* (19)
Stokes 2* (7)
234-4
33* (51)
Lawrence 46* (74)
Bairstow 4* (19)
Lees 65 (214)
Crawley 62 (106)
Root 56 (105)
Lawrence 83 (122)
Stokes 11 (29)
Bairstow 14* (51)