Five Cricketers hoping to Gatecrash England’s World Cup Squad
To say that England’s one-day team is currently under-preforming would be an understatement. The team’s in trouble, real trouble, and unless improvements are made across the board, Alastair Cook’s men might end up losing to Scotland in the forthcoming world cup. Don’t laugh. Remember the shambles against Ireland in 2011? England are big outsiders with Betfair for a reason.
Fortunately however, there’s still time for the selectors to make changes before the World Cup down under begins. With that in mind, here are five young cricketers not picked for the warm-up tour to Sri Lanka, who might sneak into the World Cup squad at the last minute and make an impact.
James Vince (Hants)
If you liked Michael Vaughan, you’ll love James Vince. In this era of T20 blasters, it’s good to know that orthodox players can still thrive in the limited overs arena. Vince’s cover drives are a purists dream, but don’t let his laid back demeanour fool you: he can smash sixes as well as anyone in the country. If England are looking for someone offering both style and substance in the top four, Vince could be the man. Ian Bell be warned.
Jonny Bairstow (Yorks)
Back in 2012, Jonny Bairstow was the one of the few successes of a miserable summer for England. He stood up to South Africa’s potent pace attack and his future looked as bright as his ginger hair. Although he’s had technical problems since, it would be foolish to write Bairstow off. He has a good temperament, a great eye, and oodles of swashbuckling natural talent. The fact he can keep wicket also increases his chances of making the squad.
Gary Ballance (Yorks)
As one of the stars of the summer, it’s odd to see Ballance’s name on this list. However, for reasons only known to Peter Moores and the selectors, he’s not in England’s party for Sri Lanka – despite having the best domestic record of any emerging England batsman since Graeme Hick. Although Ballance bats at a steady pace in tests, he’s more than capable of raising the tempo: he averages 51 (with a strike rate of 89) in List A cricket. If anyone’s up for a spot of ‘gate crashing’ it’s Ballance – as those pictures of him topless in a Nottingham nightclub testify.
Adil Rashid (Yorks)
Having made ten appearances for England in 2009 as a wet behind the ears 21 year old, Rashid’s name is a familiar one as far as the selectors are concerned. He was a promising leg-spinner back then, but although he showed glimpses of ability the management didn’t seem to trust him. Now 26, Rashid is back. He’s more mature, more resilient, and has turned himself into an all-rounder. Finger spinners traditionally struggle in Australia, but leg-spinners can thrive. The selectors would do well to remember this.
Jason Roy (Surrey)
A brash South African, capable of hitting the ball miles, playing for England? Sounds familiar doesn’t it. Jason Roy could be the next import to make an impact at international level. With Alex Hales struggling to nail down a spot at the top of the order, Surrey’s Roy could be the man to provide impetus to the innings. Whereas Cook scores his runs for England and Essex at just 78 runs per 100 balls, Roy has a blistering strike rate of 107; it’s like comparing a banged up three-wheeler with a formula one car. There’s just one problem: Roy’ average for Surrey is currently under 30. Consistency has been a problem.