Dan Lawrence is not an opener, says Geoffrey Boycott on batter’s outings at Manchester

New Delhi: Former England opener Geoffrey Boycott has said batter Dan Lawrence does not have the skills of an opener, citing the way he got out in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Manchester.

Middle-order batter Lawrence was drafted in to open the batting as Zak Crawley was ruled out of the series against Sri Lanka due to a fractured finger. “Dan Lawrence is not an opening batsman. Why? His judgment around off stump is poor and his shot selection fraught with danger.”

“It was a smart alec decision to make him an opener when he bats down the order in county cricket for Essex and now Surrey. It is a specialist position; not one you can learn on the job in Test cricket,” wrote Boycott in his column for The Telegraph.

Though Lawrence made 30 and 34 in both innings of the first Test at Manchester, Boycott was still far from impressed by what he saw of the right-handed batter. “Top-class bowlers consistently aim for fourth or fifth stump outside off. That is where every batsman is vulnerable, particularly when the ball is new.”

“Footwork is key. You have so little time against the pace and movement of a new ball that it is imperative your footwork is decisive, with bat and pad together. You cannot be indecisive. In the first innings to the left-arm seamer going across him, Lawrence was tentative and unsure to the point where he just hung his bat out and was caught behind.”

“Second innings, he wafted at a wide ball. With another delivery he opened the face and tried to steer it to third man with an open face. Those are ‘getting out’ shots and encourage bowlers to fancy bowling at him. It doesn’t help the next guy in watching from the dressing room either. Lawrence is very comfortable when the ball is on the stumps and he can look to score on the leg side,” he elaborated.

Boycott further thought Lawrence is very much like Dom Sibley, who opened for England in Tests, in terms of obsession with playing on the leg-side. “He reminds me of Dom Sibley, who had moderate success opening for England in 22 Tests. Lawrence favours the leg side and looking to score there all the time can be his undoing. That’s how he got out second innings, leg-before playing across the line instead of straight.”

“Top bowlers try not to stray on to middle or middle and leg too often. They know that is the safe side and it gives runs to an opener. He will have some success opening because he has some talent as a stroke player, but will not be consistent.”

“Lawrence is a clean striker of the ball and has a range of strokes against spinners, but long-term success as an opener will be achieved only if he tightens up his judgment around off stump and plays straighter. For now, he is a square peg in a round hole while Zak Crawley is out injured,” he concluded.