Ashes 2019: Trevor Bayliss suggests England’s batters should play on flatter pitches to improve Test performances

Trevor Bayliss has suggested that English batsmen should play on flatter wickets to improve their Test match returns.

The outgoing England head coach, who departs at the conclusion of the fifth Ashes 2019 Test, also admitted that much of the squad are more suited to white-ball batting, but feels that county pitches could perhaps be more friendly to the batters.

England have been bowled out for under 100 three times so far this year, but Bayliss insists his side work hard on their batting, but also suggests they could be aided by better preparation.

”I don’t think there is any doubt that the style of players we have got is suited to the one-day game,” Bayliss told Sky Sports.

“Some of the techniques have been affected by the one-day game but they are all very talented batters. They are all working.

“All the things I hear people talking about – soft hands, playing later under your eyes – have been worked on and spoken about ever since I’ve been here and probably before.

“If we can play on flatter wickets it gives batters the opportunity to bat for longer in those conditions and put those practices into play in a match situation.

The Australian leaves the England set-up after four years in charge, during which time England have come on remarkably in white-ball cricket but struggled to consistently score big runs with the bat in Test matches.

“In one-off series you maybe want green grass so it moves more for the whole innings,” Bayliss continued.

“But in the long run the best thing to do is play on these wickets as much as we possibly can at the level below so we can bat longer and get more consistent performances.

“Concentrate for longer in the field, concentrate for longer when you bat. Spinners will come more into the game and the pace bowlers will learn to adjust when there is no shine or hardness on the ball.”

With a drawn Ashes series still achievable if England win the fifth Test at the Oval, Bayliss has shuffled his batting pack, dropping Jason Roy, with Sam Curran coming in for his first Test of the series after winning Player of the Series against India last year.

Chris Woakes also returns to the side in the place of Craig Overton, while Ben Stokes (ailed by a shoulder issue that will prevent him from bowling) plays as a specialist batsman – probably at number four in the batting order.

Stokes has had a fine summer, and Bayliss is not surprised by the all-rounder’s development, particularly since the incident in Bristol in September 2017.

“He had a confidence about him,” Bayliss said of Stokes.

“He obviously had a lot of skill but the way he went about his practice, you just knew he that wasn’t going to take a backward step in any sort of contest, whether batting, bowling or in the field.

“From it, I think we have seen Ben, and a lot of the other guys, grow and mature as human beings. They are good people and that’s what you want to see.”