Quantcast
Channel: ECB Latest News
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 7281

Woakes wants to keep new ball

$
0
0

Watch free highlights via this link.

Chris Woakes hopes he has done enough to retain the new-ball duties when England open their World Cup against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.

The 25-year-old did his claims no harm in England's nine-wicket warm-up win in Sydney today, snaring 5-19 as West Indies were skittled for 122.

Woakes set the tone for a convincing success from the very first over, when he narrowly missed out on a hat-trick, en-route to a reassuring performance after he endured a day to forget last time out in the Tri-Series final defeat to Australia.

Woakes took the new ball in all of England's games in that tournament but was pummelled for 89, without taking a wicket, in the Perth decider to raise some doubt over whether he would keep the role in front of a MCG sell-out against the co-hosts on Saturday.

"I'd like to think hopefully it is me (who takes the new ball in Melbourne)," said Woakes.

"I've done it for roughly 10 games or so now. It would be nice to think that I will get the new ball.

On continuing to open the bowling, England paceman Chris Woakes said: "It would be nice to think that I will get the new ball."

"Every time you put on the shirt, whether it is a warm-up game or in the Tri-Series, you're trying to do your best for England but your cause as well.

"Fingers crossed I get the new ball. I'm not aware of any changes at the minute."

With James Anderson and Stuart Broad rested at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Woakes took the opportunity - on a helpful wicket - to remind of his quality as he found noticeable carry and movement. 

He took just three deliveries to strike when Chris Gayle gloved a rising ball down the leg side for a first-ball duck. Darren Bravo lasted no longer when he nicked a vicious off-cutter and Woakes almost had a hat-trick when Marlon Samuels fended inside the next ball.

The Warwickshire right-armer wrapped up his five-wicket haul, and West Indies’ innings in 29.3 overs, when Andre Russell obligingly swiped him to Chris Jordan in the deep.

"It didn't go to plan in Perth in the final. It would have been nice to put in a better performance there, not just myself but as a team as well," Woakes added. 

"I felt like I've been bowling pretty well for the last year or so now - in the last six months in particular. (My confidence) didn't take too much of a hit.

"You always want to get back out there and put in a performance to get back confidence, but I wouldn't say it was too much of a dent.

"Today has obviously helped that by taking five wickets."

England then needed only their top three batsmen to complete a routine chase inside 23 overs with Moeen Ali the only batsman to fall, for 46 from 43 balls, before Ian Bell and James Taylor, with an unbeaten 35 and 25 not out respectively, saw England home with a half-century stand.

That ensured the day-night match was done and dusted before the sun had even set over the SCG and perhaps the only sour note for England was they were not more thoroughly tested so close to that MCG blockbuster.

"We've won the game pretty convincingly so it is a good run out in that respect, but I suppose it would have been nice for a few more batters to get a bit of time in the middle," Woakes said.   

West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle wanders back to the pavilion after flicking Woakes behind in the first over

"From a bowling point of view we put the ball in the right areas and got out of it what we needed. We didn't bowl anything at the death, but there is another game on Wednesday so I'm sure that will throw up some different challenges."

That next test is a warm-up game against Pakistan at the SCG in two days before they head south for their Valentine's Day date with Australia.

Already the Australians have shown a hostile reception awaits, with a series of posters in Melbourne poking fun of the England team which reads: "Missing: Pair of Balls. If found please return to the English cricket team".

Woakes is confident his team will not be intimidated by any Australian barbs, adding: "We knew this game has been coming for a long time now. It's going to be a huge game for us and the Australians.

"I'm sure they will be feeling as much pressure as we are. The opening game of a World Cup is a great opportunity for us to turn the Aussies over.

"We know they are a great team, they've had the wood over us in the Tri-Series so we have a point to prove and hopefully we can turn them over on Saturday." 

West Indies team manager Richie Richardson has tipped England to take the World Cup by storm.

He said: “They are a good side, they have been playing a lot of cricket. Given the opportunity, they will do well.

“They started very well on a wicket that had a bit of bounce and doing a little bit. The bowlers put it in the right area and they got the results.

“If they hadn’t got those early wickets then it might have been a different game.

“They are a good side and we have the utmost respect for them. What really matters is what is going to happen during the World Cup.”

Richardson added: “We are not happy with that performance. We need to reassess our performance and make sure it doesn’t happen again. This came as a shock to me. I have no explanation for it because I didn’t expect it.” 


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 7281

Trending Articles