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Jonny Bairstow left out of England squad - Sibley, Crawley, Parkinson & Mahmood called up

Last updated on .From the section Cricketcomments765

Jonny Bairstow
Jonny Bairstow managed only one half-century in 12 innings in the home summer

Jonny Bairstow will come back a "better player" after being left out of England's Test squad for New Zealand, according to selector Ed Smith.

Bairstow, who has played 69 Tests, has passed 50 with the bat just twice since the Sri Lanka Test in November 2018.

"He's had a very busy summer, it's an opportunity for him to step back, reset and come back better," Smith added.

Uncapped Matthew Parkinson, Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley and Saqib Mahmood have all been called up.

Wicketkeeper Bairstow averages 20.25 in Tests this year, so Jos Buttler will take the gloves.

But Smith told BBC Sport he does not want to restrict Bairstow to a specialist batsman role on his return.

"I wouldn't want to reduce his options, I want to expand them," insisted Smith.

"With Jonny, someone who averages 50 in first=class cricket, non-Test match cricket, they are exceptional numbers. But I think what we've seen recently in an England shirt is not a reflection of what he can do."

Warwickshire's Sibley and Kent batsman Crawley will compete for places at the top of the order.

Pace bowler Mahmood and leg-spinner Parkinson provide bowling cover.

England play two Tests in New Zealand, the first of which begins on 20 November, after a five-match Twenty20 series.

They then move on to South Africa in December before two Tests in Sri Lanka in the spring.

Sibley, 24, is the only batsman to make more than 1,000 runs in Division One of the County Championship this season, while 21-year-old Crawley is highly regarded and has made 820 runs this summer.

Mahmood and Parkinson, both 22 and of Lancashire, have 21 and 19 wickets respectively in Division Two.

The pacy Mahmood gives back-up to a fast bowling unit that is without the injured trio of James Anderson, Mark Wood and Olly Stone, while Parkinson will be number two to left-arm spinner Jack Leach.

Anderson, England's all-time leading wicket-taker, has still not recovered from the calf injury that curtailed his part in the Ashes series.

Surrey batsman Ollie Pope, who played two Tests in 2018, is recalled. With no specialist keeping cover for Buttler, Pope could take the gloves if required.

Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley, Saqib Mahmood and Matthew Parkinson
Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley, Saqib Mahmood and Matthew Parkinson

Bairstow has been included in the squad for the T20s in New Zealand, which is led by Eoin Morgan.

Morgan, who captained England to their World Cup triumph in July, has ended speculation over his immediate future by being named skipper.

Morgan said he would only continue as captain if his troublesome back allowed him to do so.

With England preparing for a Twenty20 World Cup in Australia next winter, a number of the squad that won the 50-over version are not included.

Jason Roy, Test captain Joe Root, all-rounders Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali, wicketkeeper Buttler, and pace bowlers Wood, Jofra Archer, Liam Plunkett and Chris Woakes all sit out.

Mahmood and Parkinson join exciting Somerset batsman Tom Banton, his county team-mate Lewis Gregory and Worcestershire seamer Pat Brown in the squad.

Only Joe Denly, Sam Curran, Mahmood and Parkinson are included in both squads as England rotate their players at the end of a busy year.

England squad for two Tests in New Zealand: Joe Root (Yorkshire) captain, Jofra Archer (Sussex), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Sam Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Jack Leach (Somerset), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Dominic Sibley (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

England squad for five Twenty20s in New Zealand: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) captain, Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Sam Billings (Kent), Pat Brown (Worcestershire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Lewis Gregory (Somerset), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Middlesex), Matt Parkinson (Lancashire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), James Vince (Hampshire).

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765 comments

  • Comment posted by Will Jarvis, at 14:50 23 Sep 2019

    Team picks it self:

    1. Burns 2. Sibley 3. Denly 4. Root 5. Stokes 6. Pope 7. Butler 8. S. Curran 9. Archer 10. Leach 11. Broad

  • Comment posted by gerryd, at 15:23 23 Sep 2019

    I imagine Bairstow will review it, he does with every other decision.

  • Comment posted by JDD, at 14:50 23 Sep 2019

    Genuinely excited to see Sibley and Burns open up together! They are perfect for the longer format of the game.

    As for dropping Bairstow and giving Buttler the gloves. Absolutely spot on.

    I foresee Foakes taking the gloves later down the line once hes put a season of strong run scoring together.

  • Comment posted by Matt77, at 15:02 23 Sep 2019

    Still don't know what Foakes did to get dropped in the first place.

    Buttler is super lucky

  • Comment posted by footyfan94, at 14:58 23 Sep 2019

    Bairstow has been of it for quite some time now, Averaged 34, 30 and 20 with the bat over the past 3 years. Is quality and will return to form but needs some time out. Doesn't help that he has been made to play everywhere from 3-7. Was a quality batsman when left at 7. Bigger travesty is a batsman with a test average of 40+ and one of the best keepers in the world - Foakes - being left out again.

  • Comment posted by Moon, at 14:53 23 Sep 2019

    9. Posted by Mozza on Just now

    Zac Crawley a contender for most ever rated batsmen for a long time based on what he's actually achieved.....

    He is 21 .........

  • Comment posted by Shel, at 14:53 23 Sep 2019

    Excellent: get some young, new players in and give them a taste of Test cricket.

  • Comment posted by LD Rob, at 14:53 23 Sep 2019

    Good move selectors. Let's have a good look at Buttler with the gloves and those young batsmen. We need to build a new batting order around Root at 4.

  • Comment posted by BarryP, at 14:54 23 Sep 2019

    Looking forward to seeing how Sibley and Pope get on. Saw Pope get 200 a month ago for Surrey and he looked an accomplished player.

  • Comment posted by Smiffy060663, at 15:01 23 Sep 2019

    So, we still don't pick the best keeper in the country - Ben Foakes ... and we still don't give an opportunity to either Jamie Porter or Sam Cook from Essex (the Div 1 County Champs elect with no-one in the squad!!) ... I like the idea of bringing in some fresh blood but why are the ECB often so biased towards and against certain counties in their selections?

  • Comment posted by baggietrousers, at 15:11 23 Sep 2019

    So the best two wicket keepers in the country (both of whom are excellent batsmen), Foakes and Cox are overlooked in favour of an average keeper who is no test match batter.
    Foakes in particular must be gutted, he should never have been dropped in the first place.

  • Comment posted by Uppal78, at 14:58 23 Sep 2019

    Finally some sense. Shame it came after the Ashes. Pick a limited over specialists for limited overs. Pick red ball specialists for test cricket. It's not rocket science.

    Why is Jos Butler retaining his place? 1 first class hundred... not good enough. Ben Foakes deserves another go.

  • Comment posted by lee, at 15:25 23 Sep 2019

    disgraceful that there is no Ben foakes the way England have treated him is a disgrace

  • Comment posted by dan_gleebits, at 14:56 23 Sep 2019

    "Mahmood and Parkinson, both 22 and of Lancashire, have 21 and 19 wickets respectively in Division Two."

    Ooooohhhh!!

    I bet the Kiwis are shaking in their boots!

  • Comment posted by Dave, at 15:34 23 Sep 2019

    21 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 31.43, listed as 61st best in the Div 2 bowling averages, or 10th best in the Lancashire bowling averages for the season. Is there a cigarette brand called Saqib Mahmood, that might explain the selection, otherwise I'm bemused

  • Comment posted by wheresmyheadat, at 15:02 23 Sep 2019

    Essex win County Championship and Twenty20 yet absolutely no recognition by player call ups.....

  • Comment posted by JCN_London, at 14:59 23 Sep 2019

    I'm glad we all seem to be in agreement that Root can't bat at 3. Too vulnerable to the new ball and fresh bowlers. Batting at 4 gives him a much better chance.

    I think more players need the same treatment as Bairstow if they're consistently underperforming, batsmen in particular. Everyone should be droppable. You'd be amazed at how quickly standards improve (like Burns).

  • Comment posted by williamjust, at 15:11 23 Sep 2019

    Not sure why Bairstow drops out while Butler stays in. Both performed disappointingly this year. Both probably needed a rest so play Foakes. Australia had a great attack and only Ben Stokes and Burns got significant runs.

  • Comment posted by Fist AFC, at 14:56 23 Sep 2019

    What will be interesting is where our Test players not on the tour concentrate their time this winter....Bairstow, Mooen etc should get contracts in Sheffield Shield and start honing their red ball skills down under. My bet is they'll spend the winter tonking it for six for better money.

  • Comment posted by D1702250077634, at 17:21 23 Sep 2019

    322 Dumptruck

    What a plank you are.
    It was actually the British Empire ( the biggest empire in history
    It was ‘never called’ the ‘English Empire’
    As for the racist and disgusting reference to this country being ‘ poo in the Atlantic’ you should realise Britain is still the 5th largest economy in the world, and apologise for your words.
    PLEASE STICK TO TALKING ABOUT CRICKET!!!

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