Sri Lanka v England: No way tourists can leave Ben Foakes out - Michael Vaughan

Last updated on 7 November 2018.From the section Cricket112

England cannot leave out Ben Foakes following his Test debut century against Sri Lanka in Galle, says Michael Vaughan.

Wicketkeeper Foakes, a late replacement for the injured Jonny Bairstow, reached three figures on the second day as England posted a first innings of 342.

The tourists dismissed Sri Lanka for 203 to end the day with a 177-run lead.

"There's no way they can leave him out of the side," former England captain Vaughan said.

Foakes hit 107 to help England recover from another top-order collapse and performed well behind the stumps as England dominated the day's play.

The 25-year-old was called up a fortnight ago following Bairstow's ankle injury and only found out on Monday that he would be making his debut.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Vaughan said: "I'm no wicketkeeping expert but I can see when it looks natural, and Foakes looks to me like he has a natural ability.

"Jonny [Bairstow] and Jos [Buttler] will have to get their minds right into being batsmen."

England play 'the high-class way'

Vaughan said Foakes, who batted for 287 minutes and faced 202 deliveries, provided a good balance to England's aggressive batsmen.

"There are so many firecrackers in there and Foakes can be that solid rock," he said.

"If the top four can become a bit more solid then, wow, England will have a good Test match team, with an engine room as strong as they have ever had."

England have struggled away from home in recent years; they have not won a Test abroad since 2016 and are without a win in their past 13 overseas Tests.

The batsmen did not begin well but Foakes put England into a strong position and the bowlers performed well to give the tourists a first-innings lead.

"If you take away that first session on day one, where England were horrendous, the following five they have been outstanding," Vaughan added.

"They have played Test cricket the high-class way."

'It was meant to be my day'

James Anderson joked about Ben Foakes' comments about his batting following the second day's play

Foakes became the second England wicket-keeper to make a century on Test debut after Matt Prior in 2007.

Resuming on 87, Foakes hit the first ball of the day for four and rotated the strike to reach three figures and help England reach an impressive total.

"My brother got here last night - that's amazing - and my mum is getting here in about an hour," Foakes told Sky Sports.

"It was amazing to get a hundred. Such a relief and a great feeling. It was meant to be my day."

England's bowlers backed up Foakes' performance, with off-spinner Moeen Ali taking 4-66 as they bowled the hosts out in 68 overs.

Jack Leach, who took 2-41, told BBC Sport: "I feel like we spinners compliment each other well.

"It would be great to win. It would be great to win, we will bat for as long as we can and when we bowl again it will be more of the same."

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112 comments

Comment posted by footyfan94, at 20:41 7 Nov 2018
"One good performance shouldn't make you undroppable."

I agree one good performance doesn't make you undroppable but it definitely makes you undroppable for the next test. No-one should be considered for omission after scoring a century until at least they have one bad performance.
Comment posted by BE8AV, at 19:54 7 Nov 2018
One good performance shouldn't make you undroppable. But here, we have our best wicket keeper and a man with a good FC batting record. He should be in the team. Hope this will refocus Bairstow on batting - his performances have not been impressive since that one big year, and he is not a automatic pick.
Comment posted by bear necessity, at 20:35 7 Nov 2018
Stokes
Foakes
Woakes
Oakes
Noakes
Jokes
Blokes
Soaks
Cloaks
Smokes
Hoax
Comment posted by Spoondog, at 22:32 7 Nov 2018
For once I agree with Vaughan. For too long the main concern seems to be not upsetting Bairstow - who has improved with the gloves. However surely the priority has to be what's in the best interests of the team and there's no doubt that Foakes is the better keeper & I can't remember the last time Bairstow applied himself to his batting like Foakes did here. Hope Foakes stays in the team now.
Comment posted by Muzza, at 21:25 7 Nov 2018
Could anyone explain exactly why Michael Vaughan is such a hate-figure on HYS? Perhaps he is the only commentator sticking his head above the parapet with decided views? As has been pointed out - the chap is well qualified to judge the game; he was a quality batsman and a fair captain in his day.
Comment posted by yorkhill, at 20:01 7 Nov 2018
BE8AV, agree that one good performance shouldn’t make you undroppable but slightly different when it’s your debut, you’ve waited for the opportunity and you’ve grasped it with both hands.
Comment posted by Justmyview, at 20:42 7 Nov 2018
Methinks it is Ben STOKES who needs to be rested. Is he really making that much of a difference?
Comment posted by First Test attended 1955, at 22:13 7 Nov 2018
Sorry a bit more! MV: 'I'm no wicket keeping expert', hence Geraint Jones in his side of 2005. Alec Stewart, definitely an expert, has said Foakes is the best English wicket keeper. Foakes has also i) a good career batting record and ii) as shown here, the right temperament, the attitude to bat steadily and long, a massive shortcoming of many generally these days of too much one day slog and bash.
Comment posted by BerenApJiriki, at 20:27 7 Nov 2018
Foakes played a blinder, the bowling unit also performed well.

The opening pair getting through to the close without loss is also great, they need some game time and confidence. Ok, there is not a heap of pressure but they still need to do it.
Comment posted by Inastate, at 20:02 7 Nov 2018
Curran was man of the match in his very first game and saw the next test on TV. Team selection is a complex process.

Vaughan is just an irritation.
Comment posted by Vox Populi, at 23:00 7 Nov 2018
Bairstow's last 12 innings in Tests: 15, 41, 0, 1, 6, 16, 0, 1, 0, 4, 8, 27.

I notice there is a lot of love for him and more talk of other players' poor form- but if you are just picking him as a batsman then that recent Test form is nowhere near good enough. And certainly not an endorsement of him as an opener or batting at 3.
Comment posted by ALLABORED, at 22:18 7 Nov 2018
It's been a long time coming but finally it seems England may have a genuine wicket keeper/batsmen and not vice versa. We seem obsessed with keepers scoring runs in Test cricket at the expense of the best glove men around (Read, Foster et al) and in the longer form of the game they have far more time to influence the match behind the stumps than in pyjama cricket. Good luck BF.
Comment posted by U16939415, at 20:52 7 Nov 2018
23

Erm, but Bairstow has been playing a practically new ball for the last 18 months in tests coming in at 80/4. And in ODIs as an opener. Do you not watch cricket?

-

80/4 ? New ball ? Have we been scoring at 5 per over?

Do you watch test cricket?
Comment posted by Kerching, at 20:51 7 Nov 2018
@20 Ron Watt

He means for the next test not ever, you utter twonk
Comment posted by U16939415, at 20:38 7 Nov 2018
14

Bairstow is swashbuckling middle order batsman. He'll never be a no.3 in a million years as he struggles to play the new ball.

He's best at 5-7.

We need a steely, combative no. 3 who can take the shine off rather than wanting to smash every lose ball out if the park. Who that is I don't know, but I know it definitely aint YJB or Buttler or Curran.
Comment posted by eggyroe, at 20:25 7 Nov 2018
@7. by yorkhill, you are totally correct,you must grab your opportunity with both hands,because if like Michael Vaughan in your 1st Test Match you are batting behind Nassar Hussain, you will get a very early chance to shine and became in time, the first England captain in 18 years to become a Ashes winning captain unlike the many failures who proceeded him.Therefore his opinion must be respected.
Comment posted by Stephen, at 01:48 8 Nov 2018
David Smith SMH....why is there always someone who has to turn a sports story into a chance to do some political whingeing? I don't honestly care if you're anti-Blair or anti-May or anti-Corbyn or anti-Farage or whatever you go around moaning about. Just leave us alone while we enjoy our sport. We watch sport to forget about politics.
Comment posted by footyfan94, at 21:13 7 Nov 2018
"Sri Lanka v England: No way tourists can leave Ben Foakes out - Michael Vaughan

it would be nice if the bbc could leave it out

non stop criticisem of the England team"

How in any shape or form is that criticism?
Comment posted by Marco1987, at 20:36 7 Nov 2018
20. Foakes does deserve an extended run in the team, at least to the end of the winter not just based on his batting also his keeping was the best we have seen since read and foster.
Comment posted by simplesimon, at 20:09 7 Nov 2018
It's obvious replace Ben stokes with Ben foakes

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