Peter Moores says Gary Ballance has been treated harshly by England
Saturday 12 December 2015 08:38, UK
Former England head coach Peter Moores says Gary Ballance should bat at three in the forthcoming Test series in South Africa.
Ballance was dropped during the Ashes series last summer but has been recalled for the South Africa trip and will vie for a place in a reshaped batting line-up.
Having made his debut against Australia in January 2014, the Yorkshire batsman went on to enjoy a superb first year as a Test player.
He bagged a fourth century against the West Indies in April but the runs dried up in four home Tests against New Zealand and Australia, and he was dropped ahead of the third Ashes Test.
However, Ian Bell has been left out of the squad for the South Africa trip, opening up a vacancy at number three, and Moores says Ballance should be in the team for the first Test, which starts on Boxing Day.
"I think he plays," Moores told Sky Sports News HQ. "I would bat him at three. I think he has been very unlucky to be left out.
"He is different. Technically, he looks different. I think that caused a lot of debate among people who were not sure about him. But you can't get away from the lad's record. He has played 15 Test matches, scored four hundreds, won the ICC young Test match player of the year.
We have seen over the time, you need all sorts of players, some that will set things up and others that will add things on top. I would play Gary at three and that will hopefully get rid of the new ball and give the middle order a chance to build on top of that
"I think he has been toughly dealt with. England have struggled to get stability at the top. He is not the sort of player who catches the eye the same as a Ben Stokes, because he does not crash the ball, but we need some stability
"We have seen over the time, you need all sorts of players, some that will set things up and others that will add things on top. I would play Gary at three and that will hopefully get rid of the new ball and give the middle order a chance to build on top of that."
Regarding the rest of the batting line-up, Moores believes Alex Hales will be given the chance to partner captain Alastair Cook at the top of the order and also feels England have found a great foil for Joe Root in the middle order.
"Joe Root has had a brilliant 12 months, and in James Taylor I think they have someone to complement him," said Moores.
"He is a games player, he senses situations when we can put the pressure back on the opposition. Then I think it will shape up with Stokes at six, Jos Buttler or Jonny Bairstow at seven and probably Moeen Ali at eight.
"That is a middle-order which is exciting, it has got a lot of strokeplayers in it."
Watch South Africa's four-Test series with England live on Sky Sports, starting with the opener on Boxing Day from 7.30am on Sky Sports 2.
