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England's Rory Burns 'best man' for pal Jason Roy to make Test debut alongside


Rory Burns says he still has plenty to prove as an England opening batsman this week — but at least he will get to do it alongside his best mate.

The Surrey captain will walk out to bat against Ireland at Lord’s with Jason Roy, a county and now country team-mate with whom he has been playing cricket since he was 10 years old. It has been a long and fruitful relationship, with Burns serving as Roy’s best man at his wedding and the roles are set to be reversed later this year.

Burns has six Tests under his belt following a full winter in Sri Lanka and the West Indies, while Roy is yet to make his debut to go along with the 84 one-dayers he has played. And the familiarity just might help settle their nerves as they both play in a Test match on English soil for the first time, even though they have not opened the batting much together.

“I’ve known Jase since he was 10, so to stride out in a Test match with him is a pretty cool feeling,” said 28-year-old Burns. “It’ll be an exciting time.

Roy’s wedding saw Burns, left, act as best man — and later this year he will return the favour

“In our school days we might have opened the batting, but very fleetingly. We first met playing East Surrey district cricket and then Surrey up all through the age groups. Bleach blonde hair and a massive head is how I remember him, and quite an aggressive stroke player. He hasn’t changed much since.

“Like most of the guys that are coming in and in amongst it you have to try and cement a place in the side and I’ve done OK but not really set the world alight. In the winter I felt comfortable in the environment, felt comfortable with what I got put up against. I just probably didn’t quite cash in and get the scores I personally would have liked.

“I’ve definitely got more to prove because Test cricket is a different animal. When you’ve got a start you’ve really got to push on and make it count.”

That is the certainly a lesson that Roy has learnt in 50 over cricket, scoring five of his nine one day hundreds in the past year alone.

He will be making his Test debut on the same ground he became a 50 over world champion just days ago, which should make him full of confidence. And the hope is that Roy’s hard hitting skills in the white ball game can be transferred across to the red ball arena in much the same way they were for Aussie David Warner.

“If Jase goes out and plays the way he does and makes good decisions, we’ve seen, particularly over the last year and a half and two years, what a wonderful player he is,” said Burns.

 

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“I don’t think there’s any reason why he can’t translate his white ball form to his red ball form, he has really matured as a player and he will probably get to leave a couple of balls now, which will be nice for him.

“I think you’d be hard pushed to find a more naturally talented batsman. Even growing up as a kid you saw Jason hit the ball and strike the ball and do things other kids couldn’t do. Over the last couple of years you’ve seen him rein it in, understand his game a bit more and sort of piece it all together.”

It might be a four-day Test match against Ireland where England’s players are expected to fill their boots, but neither Burns nor Roy should take for granted the threat of one of their own.

Seamer Tim Murtagh started off at Surrey before crossing the river to become a Middlesex stalwart and as Ireland’s opening bowler he will know the conditions at Lord’s better than anyone.

“It’s his home turf, isn’t it?” added Burns, who is a quarter-Irish on his dad’s side. “He might have an Ireland shirt on, but it’s his ground. He’s a wily bowler, isn’t he? He’s always there stump to stump asking questions with the red ball and he’s always going to be in business.”

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