Players’ last chance to win Test places

England to begin final warm-up before Boxing Day match against South Africa

CAPE TOWN: England’s players get a last chance to book their places for the first Test on Boxing Day when they begin a final warm-up match against South Africa A in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday.

Alex Hales, Gary Ballance, Nick Compton, Steven Finn and Mark Footitt will be under especially close scrutiny if they are picked for the three-day game.

England face much tougher opposition than the Invitation XI who offered them their first look at local conditions in a drawn encounter at Potchefstroom this week.



Coach Trevor Bayliss has already said Hales is likely to open the batting with captain Alastair Cook in the first Test in Durban.

However, Bayliss will be concerned Hales looked short of confidence and scored a total of 16 runs in two innings against the Invitation XI.

Hales is set to make his Test debut after impressing in limited-overs internationals but another failure might see England reconsider their options.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2015.

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