Published: Jul 31, 2017, 09:57 AM (IST)
Edited: Jul 31, 2017, 10:43 AM (IST)
England’s new No.3 batsman Tom Westley looks to be a bright prospect for the side’s upcoming Ashes campaign later this year. Former England skipper and noted analyst Nasser Hussain has already drawn comparisons of the 28-year-old with the likes of Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick, two of England’s finest batsmen in the first half of the 2000s. ALSO READ: Graeme Swann unhappy with selection of Tom Westley over Mark Stoneman
Replacing Gary Ballance, Westley, the Essex batsman, came in at No.3 and scored 25 and 59 in the ongoing third Test against South Africa at The Oval. He may not have made a statement or got all headlines going his way with Alastair Cook, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow hogging the limelight, but he has shown the desired promise.
Hussain, in his column for Daily Mail, writes: “When I first saw Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick I was struck by how calm and composed they were at the crease and Tom Westley similarly impressed me with his temperament on Test debut.”
Impressed with the character that Westley showed, Hussain further wrote, “Technique is important, of course, but the most crucial thing at the highest level is character and, watching him play at The Oval, talking to him and seeing him go about his business, Westley does seem to have a bit about him. Westley is making his debut at what I think is a good age of 28 because he has been round the traps, knows his game inside out and, unlike someone like Haseeb Hameed, has been through the ups and downs before arriving at the top.”
In 2002-03, England lost the Ashes Down Under 1-4, however, it was Vaughan who topped the batting charts with 633 runs at 63.30, slamming 3 hundreds from his 10 innings. If Westley can do a Vaughan in 2017-18, England will be largely relieved.
England are currently 6 wickets away from winning the historic 100th Test at The Oval. If weather permits, they have 3 sessions to get the job done.
