Woeful performance might prompt wholesale changes for 2nd Test: Trevor Bayliss

After a dismal performance in the first Test against New Zealand, English coach Trevor Bayliss hints there might a lot of changes for the next game. After succumbing to the Boult-Storm on day 1 of the first test, they got bowled out for 58. New Zealand managed to post a big total in the first innings and eventually won the Test by an innings and 49 runs.

The second Test between these two incredible nations will commence on 3rd April at Christchurch. Bayliss was attending a press conference and when a journalist asked him about the changes that might take place for the next Test, he said, “Anyone at this level who doesn’t perform gets spoken about – ‘do we make a change’?”.

Asked specifically about Moeen’s travails, Bayliss added: “I’m sure he’s disappointed with the way he’s gone. He had a fantastic summer, (but) this winter away I’m sure hasn’t gone how he would have liked. I’m sure that will be a discussion.”

We are still hunting for a proper XI: Bayliss

Despite taking giant strides in the ODI format in recent years, the English contingent has struggled to perform well in the longest format. Coach Bayliss reckons their side haven’t found 11 full-fledged International cricketers as yet who could pin their place in the playing XI. He went on to add that a lot of youngsters were given chances but not many utilized it well.

“Having lost so many games overseas, we’ve given a lot of guys an opportunity who haven’t really grabbed hold of it. At some stage, we have to look at who is next. That will certainly be discussed over the next couple of days. We’ve still got a number of guys in the team who haven’t really nailed down their position. We are still searching for guys to put their hands up, so we have 11 fully-fledged international cricketers,” Bayliss said.

“They will certainly come into contention and will be spoken about. We’ve got the best squad here – I haven’t heard too many people come up with who the replacements might be,” Bayliss said of Leach and Wood.

England doesn’t have good enough left-arm seam bowlers

Bayliss also stressed on a fact that England is not producing world class left-arm fast bowlers. A fact that one left-arm bowler annihilated them in the first Test and another by the name Mitchell Starc did similar damage in the Ashes prompted the 55-year-old to say so. He also added that picking left-arm bowlers despite them being your second-best would make no sense.

“Anyone would love to have variety, but they’ve also got to be good enough. You can’t pick two left and two right-armers if they are your second-best bowlers. You’ve got to pick your best – I’m not sure if there’s a lot of left-armers ready to go for Test cricket in England at the moment,” he said.