Compton’s time is up, but who will replace him at number three?

Nick Compton’s international career is on the brink as failures at both Headingley and Durham have been followed, most recently, by another disappointment in the third and final Sri Lanka test match at Lord’s. Going into the Lord’s test under great pressure, Compton had amassed just one run before he feathered a Suranga Lakmal delivery through to the wicket-keeper. In the second innings, opening in place of the injured Cook, Compton fell for 19. The Middlesex bastman’s position was already under threat following an underwhelming tour of South Africa over the winter, and his poor beginning to the new season - averaging just 13.2 - has done little to help his cause. The search for a new number three, which seems to have been ongoing since Jonathan Trott’s troubles in the 2013/14 Ashes series, looks to have been rekindled.

The name currently on everyone’s lips is that of Durham number three Scott Borthwick. If the rumours within the media are to be believed then the 26-year-old is currently leading the race to be the man to replace Compton for next month’s visit of Pakistan; for anyone who has been closely following the fortunes of Borthwick, this comes as no surprise. When he made his debut in final test of the aforementioned 2013/14 tour of Australia, only never to feature again since, Borthwick’s name was at risk of joining the list of England’s infamous one-test men. As a more than capable leg-spinner, Borthwick was primarily used as a bowler at Sydney - taking four wickets but scoring just seven runs - but two years on and the ‘Steve Smith’-esque transition from a raw leg-spinner who can bat into an established batsman who can bowl, appears to be complete. Borthwick’s beginning to the domestic county season has been imperious; an average of over 80, including three centuries, one of which - 188, against Nottinghamshire - came in a game in which he also claimed eight wickets, a tally which shows that a shifted focus to his batting has not resulted in a complete sacrifice of his bowling ability. With tours of Bangladesh and India coming this winter, Borthwick’s potential usefulness on spin-friendly surfaces will surely be attractive to the England selectors.

Whilst Borthwick may currently be the favourite to oust the struggling Compton, this is not to say that he doesn’t still face strong competition. Kent’s rising prodigy Daniel Bell-Drummond has been in impressive form in 2016, scoring just under 800 first-class runs - a figure which included consecutive centuries against Glamorgan and Leicestershire. It may take more of a sustained spell of form - similar to that of Borthwick’s - to convince the England selectors, but at just 22-years-old Bell-Drummond is undoubtedly a huge talent. As with Essex’s Tom Westley, who himself has hit four centuries and amassed a mammoth total of first-class runs this county season, the fact that Bell-Drummond’s Kent side ply their trade in Division Two will undoubtedly harm his cause. Whilst Bell-Drummond can’t do any more than perfume against the opposition that he is provided, there is an undisputed gulf between the two tiers of English cricket. The England selectors may fear that the step-up from Division Two bowling attacks to the international stage, facing attacks boasting the likes of Mohammad Amir, could be too large. If the selectors deem this jump too big a risk, then an alternative option, who is in the runs in Division One, is Middlesex’s Sam Robson. Robson had a brief spell in the international set-up in 2014, featuring in 7 tests and, whilst he was ultimately dropped, he didn’t disgrace himself. With an impressive unbeaten century opening the batting against Sri Lanka in just his second test, Robson, unlike Westley, Borthwick and Bell-Drummond, has proven that he is capable of performing at the highest-level. If he can continue his current form of over 600 runs and three centuries this season (at an average of 79), then the England selectors will find it increasingly difficult to ignore the prospect of a potential Robson return.

Whether it does prove to be Borthwick who gets the nod, or whether there is a surprise inclusion for one of Bell-Drummond, Westley or Robson, all will be revealed in the coming weeks. One thing is for sure: there is no lack of options.