Lightning Aussie attack will relish facing this England top order, so who does Ed Smith turn to now? England's top order have flopped during Test series defeat by West Indies England have just two Tests before facing up to Australia's pace attack Joe Denly is the 15th opening batsman used in Tests in six and a half years By Richard Gibson For The Mail On Sunday Published: 22:28 GMT, 2 February 2019 | Updated: 22:46 GMT, 2 February 2019 Viewcomments Australia’s tyrant trio of fast bowlers must be licking their lips watching the highlights reel of England’s latest top-order batting travails. Six months might be a long time in cricket but it will not feel that way as the countdown clock ticks on that first Ashes Test in Birmingham. England have just two Tests between now and facing up to a likely Australian attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins and appear no nearer to finalising their opening combination than they were at the start of the winter. Joe Denly is the 15th opening batsman used in Tests by England in six and a half years Joe Denly is the 15th opening batsman used in Tests since the retirement of Andrew Strauss six and a half years ago. There have been all kinds of combinations, to no avail. The one constant until recently of course was Sir Alastair Cook, who looked on from the media box at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium as a man 14 months his junior, who has not opened at County Championship level since 2015, walked out alongside Rory Burns. How has it come to a player more accustomed to a berth in Kent’s middle order being thrust into battle against new-ball operators of the quality of Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel so close to the biggest series of them all? Rory Burns missed the chance to book his Ashes spot with a disappointing dismissal in Antigua The truth, quite simply, is there is no one else. Ed Smith, the national selector, felt he had to take a punt on a 32-year-old who had at least shown the stomach last summer for a fight — albeit on the fields of Division Two — when looking for an opening option to rival Burns and Keaton Jennings. It was the boldest of calls this week to make his former county colleague England’s oldest batting debutant since the mid-1990s. But it highlights the dearth of alternatives. England left Barbados last week determined to remain loyal to Jennings but he was condemned by his own statistics. Jennings averages just 16 against pace bowling at this level, compared to 49 against spin, and appeared a wicket waiting. Unfortunately, Denly was found lacking in both temperament and technique: after chasing a wide one in the first innings, he failed to cash in on a life in the second when he flapped to fine leg on nought and his eventual dismissal was also an error of judgment. Burns could have booked his Ashes ticket with an innings of defiance here but received a snorter on the first morning and then injudiciously cut at one too close to him to open the floodgates. He remains in credit, however, after acquitting himself last week and Burns is the most prolific run-getter in English first-class cricket since Strauss’s departure. To judge a player on one performance is harsh but Denly does not appear the answer. So who is? Jason Roy would offer the dynamic brand of batting Joe Root is keen to promote but like Denly does not go in first at county level. James Vince is understood to be keen to move down not up the batting order at Hampshire. The future remains unclear but on current evidence the Australians are unlikely to be overly perturbed whichever direction England go in. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility