The Times Sport - UK (2020-07-18)

forgive him that misjudgment in the

first innings at Southampton now when

he was bowled shouldering arms — and

makes the bowlers come to him by

bowling straighter and feeding his leg-

side clips and deflections. He makes

good decisions consistently.

Patience, rather than Peter, could be

his middle name. His forward-defen-

sive shot is his best friend, an ever-faith-

ful ally. He watches the ball like a hawk.

The best batsmen have a healthy dose

of suspicion within them and you can

see that in Sibley. Every ball poses a

danger and he snuffs that out first

before looking to score.

A crucial point too is that Sibley has

always been a run-scorer. That might

sound trite and obvious, but it is mighti-

ly important. In this age of ball strikers

and players supposedly looking good

on bowling machines as they thump

another muscular drive, it is easily for-

gotten that batting is all about working

out a way to score runs, thinking about

finding the gaps with the lowest risk

attached. As Gooch always says, it is the

art of run-making rather than batting.

And Sibley has always made runs.

Remember that he made a double

century in the championship for Surrey

at the age of 18 while still a schoolboy.

He had always made big scores

throughout his age-group progression.

And here, in conditions that were not

easy, he made another big one, that

treasured second Test century. It took

him 312 balls, which is England’s fifth-

slowest in Tests since 1990, but did he

care? No, not a jot. And nor should he.

He had done his job quite splendidly.

Openers score centuries, however long

it takes them.

For too long we have bemoaned a

lack of Test openers. Sibley is certainly

a Test opener, with a real mind for it.

Where he scored his runs

Leg side

runs: 73

8 runs 5 runs

4 runs 5 runs

17 runs

18 runs

30 runs

33 runs

120 runs

372 balls

5 fours

0 sixes

Off side

runs: 47

MICHAEL STEELE/GETTY IMAGES

the times | Saturday July 18 2020 1GS 5

CHIT

CHAT

Mike Atherton, commenting on

Jofra Archer’s breach of the

biosecure protocols, said he had

been foolish but that missing this

Test match was enough and he did

not deserve further punishment

All the players know the rules. He is a

25-year-old adult not a seven-year-old

child. If commentators continue to

gloss over this with the response that

he is still a young lad, I suggest that

his mother should accompany him.

Ken Essam

Of course he knew — of

course he understood. All

young people (and many

older ones too) have to learn

that rules are there for a

reason, especially with a virus

like Covid.

Judy Ludlow

Most men of 25 are foolish. I certainly

was. Foolish therefore to let them

drive to Old Trafford rather than put

on a team bus.

Michael Sandpearl

Michael Atherton is right. It

was a foolish thing to do, but

one missed Test and the

associated chagrin is

sufficient punishment.

Don Leonardo

Archer is the author of his own

problem, no one else. No need to

compare with others, no need to

question the efficacy of the rules. The

rules were there, he agreed to them,

he broke them, he admits it, he is a

grown man who has made himself

look foolish. So leave it at that.

Chris Roman

I still don’t understand why

the England officials would

have asked the team to make

their way to Old Trafford on

their own. Suppose one of

them drove straight there but

needed to use the toilet at

Watford Gap station?

John Kamara

Archer has been silly but it’s done

now and we need to move on. Give

him a slap on the wrist and get him

back in the fold as quickly as

possible. We’re stronger with him in

the team.

Charlie Don’t Surf

Playing him in the Third Test?

You are losing your bearings

Mike. Another round of “he’s

missed a match because of

his transgressions so that’s

punishment enough”?

victorturner

Sport provokes debate and

here is some of the interaction

between our readers and

writers at thetimes.co.uk

Not sure how much sympathy should
be shown to Archer for having to
spend several weeks in a biosecure
bubble with the opportunity to play
Test cricket when compared to the
many thousands of ordinary citizens
who have been told to self-isolate at
home with no similar distractions.
E Springer
side during a painstaking second Test century for England at Old Trafford