David Willey knows from bitter experience that a place in England’s provisional World Cup squad comes with no guarantees, but the left-armer believes he is the ideal man to do the “donkey” work in India.
Willey was selected in the preliminary 15 for the tournament last month, with head coach Matthew Mott effectively confirming in a phone call that the all-rounder would be part of England’s title defence.
And while that news was exactly what he wanted to hear, the 33-year-old is understandably aware of the fineprint that underpins any such promises having been the odd man out four years ago.
He was a key member of the squad in the years leading up to 2019 but found himself bumped from the initial list at the last minute to make room for the newly-available Jofra Archer.
A direct repeat is not on the cards, though Archer’s appearance at nets on Tuesday as he continues his rehabilitation from a stress fracture of the elbow may have invited a case of deja-vu.
Instead, it is Yorkshire batter Harry Brook who casts a shadow as the International Cricket Council’s September 28 deadline looms. Brook was left out of the original selection but has since been given every encouragement that he could sneak back in before the final submission.
While Jason Roy and Dawid Malan are on highest alert, it is not impossible that a seamer could make way in a rebalancing act, a fact that is not lost on Willey.
“I’m happy to be here now, but until you’re on that flight out there you can’t rest on your laurels,” he said ahead of the third ODI against New Zealand at the Kia Oval.
“Of course it can change, they’ve not got to finalise until the end of the month. It’s out of my control. It was out of my control in 2019. I’d have given my left arm to be a part of the last World Cup. Anything that happens to me in cricket now is never going to be as bad as that.
“I made a promise to myself that I’d play every game for England as if it was my last and I try and do that now. But things change and if it changes for me then it’s nothing I haven’t been through before. I think my whole England career I’ve sort of not been sure whether I’m coming or going so it’s nothing new to me.
“Hopefully not though…goodness me, that would be a tough one to take. But it’s professional sport, things do change.”
Willey offered a timely reminder of his own qualities in the last couple of matches against New Zealand, hitting quick lower-order runs, taking wickets and running out Will Young at the Ageas Bowl.
But he offered a deliberately self-deprecating account of what he brings to the squad, emphasising physical durability and a hint of bloody-mindedness.
“I’m stubborn aren’t I? My wife would say so as well. I’m just trying to stay fit and keep improving,” he said.
“Call me a donkey if you want, but to take a donkey out to what could be a tough trip, you just might need a donkey. Staying fit is probably an asset to the group, with guys who sometimes struggle with niggles and things. They keep going, donkeys, don’t they?”
Willey has previously admitted shedding a tear when England became world champions at Lord’s, conflicted by the experience of watching from home as his former team-mates wrote their names in the history books.
With that in mind he hopes whoever the unlucky party is this time around, be it Brook, another batter or even himself, is dealt with sensitively.
“I think the important thing, whoever does miss out, is the quality of the communication around that,” he said.
“I don’t think the communication I got was particularly good. I don’t necessarily need to go into it too much but it would have been nice to receive a phone call from a couple of guys who were probably involved with the decision making. But it’s never going to be easy. Somebody is going to miss out.”
West Indies Academy secures first win of the season with 22-run DLS method victory over CCC
The West Indies Academy recorded their first win of the 2024 CG United Super50 Cup season with a 22-run DLS method win over the Combined Campuses and Colleges at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in St. Augustine on Monday.
CCC, who were also seeking their first win of the season, were first dismissed for 174 in 39.5 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Experienced opener Kieran Powell top scored with 46 off 42 balls including eight fours while Shaqkere Parris made 40 and Johann Jeremiah hit 33.
Jediah Blades continued his good form with the ball this season with 3-23 from six overs and was well supported by Zishan Motara who took 3-31 from his 10 overs.
Joshua Bishop also bowled well with 2-25 from 6.5 overs.
In reply, the Academy were 167-7 off 40.5 overs, 22 runs ahead of the DLS par score when the rain brought an end to proceedings.
Andrew Rambaran and Johann Layne put together a crucial eighth wicket partnership, helping the Academy recover from 118-7 in the 29th over.
Rambaran finished 37* while Layne finished 25* off 28 balls including two fours and two sixes.
Earlier, Rivaldo Clarke top scored with 38. Romario Greaves was excellent with the ball for the CCC with 5-45 from his 10 overs while the other two wickets were split between Akeem Jordan and Abhijai Mansingh.
Full Scores:
Combined Campuses and Colleges 174 off 39.5 overs (Kieran Powell 46, Shaqkere Parris 40, Johann Jeremiah 33, Jediah Blades 3-23, Zishan Motara 3-31, Joshua Bishop 2-25)
West Indies Academy 167-7 off 40.5 overs (Rivaldo Clarke 38, Andrew Rambaran 37*, Johann Layne 25*, Romario Greaves 5-45).
Molineux stars with 64 as Melbourne Renegades Women win second match in a row
Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin’s Melbourne Renegades Women got their second win in a row in the Women’s Big Bash League thanks to a brilliant batting display from captain Sophie Molineux against Adelaide Strikers Women at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Sunday.
The Renegades, chasing 158 for victory, found themselves 52-5 in the ninth over when Molineux came to the crease to join Dottin.
The pair put on a crucial 79 runs before Dottin fell for 20. Seven runs later, Molineux fell for a match-winning 32-ball 64 including nine fours and three sixes.
Eventually needing six runs off the final over, Nicole Faltum and Sarah Coyte guided the Renegades to victory.
Darcie Brown, Amanda-Jade Wellington and Jemma Barsby took two wickets, each, for the Strikers in their efforts to defend what looked like a match-winning total.
Earlier, captain Talia McGrath led the way with 64 off 44 balls including eight fours and a six while Orla Prendergast supported well with 31 as the Strikers made 157-5 from their 20 overs after winning the toss.
Molineux took 2-39 from her four overs while Georgia Wareham and Alice Capsey split two wickets. Matthews and Dottin when wicketless in seven overs between them.
Australia recover from middle-order collapse to win Pakistan opener
Australia rallied to overcome Pakistan by two wickets in the first of three one-day internationals between the teams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Roared on by vocal travelling support, Pakistan were in the ascendency when their pacemen dropped Australia from 113-2 to 115-7, with the hosts chasing 204 for victory.
Harif Rauf dismissed three while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain also got in on the act to decimate the hosts' middle order.
Naseem Shah had earlier scored 40 off 39 balls to salvage a score of 203 all out for the tourists, but a crucial cameo from captain Pat Cummins got Australia over the line.
Cummins calmly came up with an unbeaten 32 from 31 balls as the hosts sealed victory with 16.3 overs remaining, with even Sean Abbott's error in being run out for 13 failing to inspire a change in the momentum.
Bowler Mitchell Starc told ABC Grandstand after the match: "We probably didn't like that Patty and I had pads on, but it's a positive start to the summer.
"A win is a win no matter how you get there."
Data Debrief: Cummins leads from the front
Cummins' unbeaten 32 may not go down as his most memorable knock in ODIs, but it did equal his best innings for Australia in the format.
That proved crucial after Matthew Short (1), Jake Fraser-McGurk (16), Marnus Labuschagne (16), Aaron Hardie (10) and Glenn Maxwell (0) disappointed with the bat.
Australia, who have won both of their ODI series versus West Indies and England since lifting the World Cup in 2023, can now seal a series triumph in Adelaide on Friday.
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