London: Joe Denly will swap places with struggling opener Jason Roy in the England batting order for the fourth Ashes test against Australia at Old Trafford, he said on Monday.
Roy, who was handed his test debut after an impressive World Cup-winning campaign, has failed to deliver at the top of the order in the first three tests of the series, scoring 57 runs in six innings with a highest score of 28.
“Obviously, Jason’s going to bat at four. With Jason in the team, I think we’re a better team for sure.
“With him coming in at four with hopefully the new ball worn off, and hopefully myself and (opener) Rory (Burns) doing our jobs at the top, it enables him to come in and play his way. He’s a dangerous player so he’s great to have there.”
The fourth test in Manchester starts on Wednesday with the series level at 1-1. The final match at The Oval in London begins on Sept. 12.
Denly’s patient half-century in the second innings of the third test, where he shared a 126-run stand with Root, set up the win for the hosts who were chasing a daunting target of 359 to level the series.
“I got a call from Joe Root after a bit of time off and he said he’d like for me to go at the top of the order and try and get us off to a good start,” Denly told BBC.
