Ballance set for finger X-ray as Bayliss calls for calm

There could be a shake-up in England's Test line-up with Trevor Bayliss meeting selectors and Gary Ballance set for an X-ray on his finger.

Published : Jul 17, 2017 23:49 IST

Gary Ballance will undergo an X-ray on his left index finger as England coach Trevor Bayliss called for calm following a heavy defeat to South Africa.

England was unable to follow up its 211-run win over the Proteas in the first Test at Lord's, suffering a thumping 340-run loss in the second match at Trent Bridge.

The host got nowhere near its target of 474 as it paid the price for giving away cheap wickets on day four, with only former skipper Alastair Cook offering a semblance of resistance as Joe Root suffered his first defeat since becoming Test captain.

Ballance only put on four to leave his average across his last 13 Tests at just 19.16, something that will only heighten scrutiny over his place in the side.

It is a matter that could be taken out of Root's hands, however, with the Zimbabwe-born left-hander set for an X-ray on a finger injury.

Bayliss has no doubt Ballance will be frustrated by his recent struggles and confirmed the line-up will be reviewed ahead of the third Test getting under way at The Oval next week.

"I'm sure it's a concern for him. He just gets under it. I thought the South Africans bowled very well to him, put him under a lot of pressure," Bayliss told Sky Sports.

"I suppose with his technique if the ball is moving around a little bit he's got to be very careful about those balls moving and playing forward. It's something he's working towards.

"The simple fact is if they're the best batters we've got [for the top three] so be it. They're the guys that we think are the best players at the moment for those positions.

"When you're scoring runs everything's fine, when you're not we need a change. We'll sit down and have a discussion with the selectors in the next day or two but something we should not do is panic."

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