A graceful batter with, at his best, an enchanting leg-side game, Tom Westley broke into the England Test side more than a decade after his Essex debut. His technique, with an on drive to the fore, drew comparisons with John Crawley and a half-century on debut against South Africa at The Oval encouraged optimism that, at 28, his long apprenticeship on the county circuit would finally bear fruit. His experience against West Indies, though, proved less rewarding and a run of five single-figure scores in his last six innings led him to be omitted from England's Ashes tour party..