England starlet Dan Lawrence's chance to prove he is worth the hype
At the start of the year, not many England incumbents had created as many ripples as DanLawrence. The right-handed batter, who had plundered plenty of runs in the preceding domestic season, was en route to making his Three Lions debut – one he has long been destined for.
Expectedly, Lawrence made his international bow on England’s winter trip to Sri Lanka, where the batter, in the absence of Ben Stokes, manned England’s middle order effortlessly.
In the first game that he played, he returned with scores of 73 and 21*. While the former, alongside Joe Root’s mammoth double ton, set up the victory, the latter ensured that England huffed and puffed their way past the finishing line.
Either way, the aforementioned knocks only highlighted that Lawrence was worth the hype he had generated over the past couple of domestic seasons. In blunter terms, it emphasized that the England starlet was ready for international cricket and that he, unlike other greenhorns, possessed the wherewithal to hold his own in adverse circumstances.
Unfortunately, that stellar debut was followed by a string of low scores against India and Sri Lanka. In fact, if the 94 runs scored on his Test debut at Galle were cast aside, the right-handed batter only accumulated 58 runs across his next six innings – averaging a shade under 10 in the process.
Hence, the optimism, at least on the fans’ count, has perhaps fizzled out a touch. Not only because they’ve seen countless cricketers make a splash before stagnating, but also because Lawrence, just days after seeming indomitable, seemed especially vulnerable against spin in India. That he has always been earmarked as someone boasting an impregnable technique against spin has only cast further doubts over his abilities.
To that end then, the lad from Essex might not be too displeased that he is getting another international gig against New Zealand before England’s constants – the likes of Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler return.
For Lawrence to completely utilize his opportunity though, there are certain caveats that he might need to guard against.
In the series against India, the Men In Blue mercilessly exploited his tendency to fall across his stumps. In Chennai, both Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma darted the ball back into Lawrence and trapped the batter in front.
Though he rectified those aspects a tad, eventually registering two 40-plus scores in the 4th Test at Ahmedabad, that was an area the Indians incessantly targeted. And, one reckons it could be something the Black Caps might also look at when they face England, with Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry and Tim Southee all capable of persisting with that sort of line and length.
Additionally, he looked a little twitchy against spin, with Ravichandran Ashwin posing questions on both sides of the bat. While Lawrence might not face a similar threat (might not altogether), his temperament could be tested if Mitchell Santner plays or if Kane Williamson decides to roll his arm over.
The most pressing question Dan Lawrence would need to answer would revolve around his consistency. In fact, for a batter blessed with such natural talent and proclivity for elegant stroke-play, he has been pretty erratic.
Till date, the Essex cricketer has participated in 86 First-Class matches, tallying 4691 runs. The average though, stands at a middling 38.45, which for a batter of his ability, isn’t ground-breaking.
Dan Lawrence has already shown glimpses of his talent for England
Even in his brief Test career, Lawrence has either been exceptionally brilliant or discernibly woeful. In his debut game against Sri Lanka, he showcased an adequate blend of skill and steel to overcome the Islanders’ spin threat. Against India though, barring the final Test at Ahmedabad, he looked quite fidgety and often resembled a rabbit caught in the headlights.
However, when he did get things right, he was perhaps England’s most adept batter, even displaying better application and range of stroke-play than Joe Root. Thus, there is a feeling among the English ranks that Lawrence can rival one of their greatest ever Test players, as long as he follows the basics and allows his innate talent to flourish.
The problem, at the moment, is that he isn’t contributing a lot when he is not at the races. Or, in simpler terms, he is embodying the boom or bust philosophy a shade too much, both for his and England’s liking.
One element Lawrence has in his favour, however, is the breathtaking talent at his disposal. And, to be fair to him, quite a lot of cricketers previously – each of whom have been touted for great things at the very outset of their careers, require a teething period to just get acclimatized to the surroundings and of course, the pressure of playing international cricket for England.
Thus, the series against the Kiwis might have arrived at the most opportune juncture for Lawrence, considering he can solidify his spot before India come calling later in the English summer.
If that happens, especially with Lawrence alternating between the fabulous and the frustrating, remains to be seen. Yet, not many would want to bet against the batter, for the sheer potential he brings to the fore.
At the start of the year, there were innumerable murmurs that Lawrence was the perfect mixture of doggedness and proactiveness England needed in their middle order.
A few months later, though perceptions have changed a sliver, there is still palpable optimism that he could answer all his critics and become the fulcrum of England’s batting unit.
And, of course, prove that he was, and still remains, worth the hype.
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