Jony Bairstow hones his wicketkeeping shills with NUFC goalkeeping coach

Jonathan Bairstow, who scored 140 run-knock in the first Test against Sri Lanka, is delighted with his wicket keeping. His hundred helped England to win the match by an innings and 88 runs at Headingley.

Jonathan Bairstow’s form with the gloves is as much important for his team as his runs with the bat in the first Test against Sri Lanka.

But the England wicketkeeper, the man of the match, also held nine catches, including a couple of diving efforts that have troubled him in the past, as an attack led by James Anderson, who had overall figures of 10 for 45, kept finding the outside edge in a match that was wrapped up inside three days.

As well as working with specialist wicketkeeping  coach Bruce French, himself a former England gloveman, Bristow also enjoyed a day with Newcastle United football club’s goalkeeping coaches.

“He did one session with the goalkeeping coaches at Newcastle, on balance and shape of the body,” explained England assistant coach Paul Farbrace.

“He really enjoyed that, and got a lot from it.”

Bairstow dropped just one clear chance at Headingley and former first-class wicketkeeper Farbrace completed a Test series win in South Africa earlier this year.

“He looked balanced and very strong in his movements,” said Farbrace. “In South Africa, he looked unbalanced.

“Predominantly, he stood a fraction too wide … if you get a nick from there, you’re off balance.

“The only chance he dropped in this game, he got done by the angle of the ball and missed it by a fraction.

“The rest of the game, I thought he kept incredibly well.”

Meanwhile, Gary Ballance could be an answer to England’s top order woes.

England in their first innings slumped to 83 for five against Sri Lanka at Headingley but opener Alex Hales’ sensible 86 runs went some way to suggest he could nail down a place alongside Alastair Cook.

England Test captain has eight opening partners, including Hales, since skipper Andrew Strauss retired in 2012.

“It’s a shame he didn’t get a hundred. But in the situation, 86 runs on that surface was a fantastic innings,” said Farbrace of Hales’s knock.

“The big thing for him is (to feel) he can play Test cricket.”