England mull changes after Lord's loss

England could change their XI for the third Ashes Test, with their top order to be scrutinised after Lord's was the scene of another two collapses.

England coach Trevor Bayliss will meet with fellow selectors on Tuesday, mulling how to pick up the pieces after an embarrassing loss at Lord's.

Bayliss was guarded when asked about potential changes after a humbling 405-run defeat that squared the Ashes series at 1-1.

"The reason they are in the team is because they are thought of as the best players in England at the moment," the former NSW mentor said.

"There are some good players on the outside and we've got a selection meeting. I'm not going to speculate on what exactly will happen."

Bayliss admitted changes were on the mind of "anyone when the team is not playing like you would like".

"But what you've also got to do is give the players that are in there as much confidence as possible," he added.

Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance and Ian Bell could all do with some of that.

Opener Lyth was dismissed twice by Mitchell Starc in the second Test, continuing a barren run this series.

Bell managed a total of 12 runs in the match, bringing the veteran's tally from the past 12 innings to 128 runs.

Ballance looked particularly uncomfortable against Mitchell Johnson, his contrast with Australia's first drop Steve Smith could hardly be more profound.

The trio could be close to the axe, with Jonny Bairstow considered the frontrunner to earn a promotion for the third Test that starts on July 29.

England have slumped to 3-52 or worse in eight of their past 13 innings.

"That's always a concern," Bayliss said.

"A team like Australia, when they get on a roll with the bowling attack they have got, it can be devastating."

Alastair Cook, whose gritty 96 in the first innings made him England's best player in the Lord's shellacking, was unsure whether the XI needed to change for Edgbaston.

"Good question," Cook said.

"It's certainly something we will have to look at over the next couple of days."

Bayliss struggled to explain his side's contrasting form in the first two Tests, pondering if his charges spooked themselves.

"In Cardiff we were very focused on what our jobs were individually," he said.

"Maybe we spent a little bit too much time thinking about how hard Australia would come back.

"Maybe mentioning that after Cardiff meant that the players were thinking about that. I'm not sure."


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Source: AAP


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