JOS BUTTLER made a surprise visit to practice yesterday while Ollie Pope was relaxing over a spot of lunch with his mates. It shows how the contrast between two of England’s batsmen could not be more stark right now. While Pope, 22, is being touted as England’s next great batsman Buttler, 29, continues to search […]
JOS BUTTLER made a surprise visit to practice yesterday while Ollie Pope was relaxing over a spot of lunch with his mates.
It shows how the contrast between two of England’s batsmen could not be more stark right now.
While Pope, 22, is being touted as England’s next great batsman Buttler, 29, continues to search for the formula that will transfer his white ball brilliance to the Test arena.
So, instead of hitting the golf course like he often does on a day off, Buttler was the only player who appeared in the Third Test win to turn up at nets at the Wanderers ground.
He was working with batting coach Graham Thorpe before the other players arrived. Buttler followed up with a series of lung-busting runs in the thin, high-altitude air.
His lack of runs — 53 in three innings in this series and an average of 22 since the start of last summer’s Ashes — plus scruffy wicketkeeping to England’s spinners — is becoming a real concern.
For a man who destroys bowling in the shorter formats, his record of one century in 40 Tests is astonishingly poor.
He admits he is “not performing to the standards he expects.”
There is a possibility Buttler will be axed for the two Tests in Sri Lanka in March and replaced by Surrey’s Ben Foakes — the country’s best gloveman who kept in England’s 3-0 victory in Sri Lanka in late 2018.
Thorpe remains convinced runs will soon flow for Buttler and said: “I’m confident he will have a good Test here.
“The most important thing is getting the mindset right. Jos might have an edge of frustration but I can see the way he’s working.
“To me, he looks in good form and it’s a matter of time before he gets a score.”
An ex-Test vice-captain and Eoin Morgan’s deputy in white-ball cricket, Buttler is a key part of Joe Root’s brain trust.
Root usually stands next to him at first slip and values his input.
But his dismissal in Port Elizabeth was particularly disappointing.
Buttler arrived with the score on 351-5 following a double-century partnership between Ben Stokes and Pope but tamely patted a catch back to spinner Keshav Maharaj.
He was sledged by Vernon Philander and others after being fined for calling Philander a “f*****g k**bhead” in the previous Test.
Head coach Chris Silverwood hinted there are currently no plans to demote Buttler.
He said: “It’s a team game and he will come good at some point — he’s going to hurt someone. We know that. So I’ve got no problem with his form.”
Pope’s 135 not out in the Third Test took his international average to 51.85 while his first-class figure of 61.44 is the highest by any England batsman ever and the best of active players from any country.
Thorpe added: “In terms of how he sets up, I think he’s very similar to Joe and he has a similar hunger for runs.
“I’m not surprised by Ollie because I’ve seen him progress over the last few years. I suppose what we were trying to find is the DNA of a Test match batsman.
“If you get in, make sure you’re the one who makes the big score for the team. He’s a very quick learner and has a calm temperament.”
Jofra Archer moved closer to a return by pinging down a series of high-velocity deliveries.
The Sussex speedster looked to be recovering fast from the elbow injury that kept him out the previous two Tests — even though his right arm was still heavily strapped in the nets yesterday.
England are considering unleashing Archer and Mark Wood as a 90mph strike force tomorrow on the quickest pitch in South Africa.
Thorpe said: “Jofra bowled six or seven overs and ran in with really good rhythm and pace.
“But you can’t force things, you have to wait for the player to be confident. He looks good but he’ll have to come in tomorrow and back it up.”
