WHY BILLY IS A TARGET
COAST GUN A MARKED MAN: P38
ENGLAND are trying to come up with a plan to cut towering paceman Billy Stanlake down to size in their tri-series Twenty20 international in Hobart tomorrow.
At 203cm, Gold Coast product is Australia’s tallest cricketer in history.
The Adelaide Strikers quick made a huge impact at the SCG on Saturday night, blowing away New Zealand’s top-order in the tri-series’ opening game.
With Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins all absent, he assumed strike bowling duties and removed Colin Munro, Martin Guptill and Tom Bruce in his first eight deliveries.
He now has England in his sights in Hobart and batsman Dawid Malan admitted the 23-year-old’s performance had not gone unnoticed.
“You can’t really miss him, he’s a tall bloke,” Malan said. “He looks a fantastic bowler, swings it when he pitches it up and bowls at good pace.
‘‘I think he is going to be a challenge, but that’s the excitement of playing international cricket – you get to come up against guys like that.
“For us it’s about trying to put him off his game and finding ways to score off him. He might bowl exceptionally but eventually someone might get hold of him and people might work things out.
“No matter who you play against you do your preparation and everything is on offer for us,” Malan said of technology.
Jason Roy (back), Liam Plunkett and Chris Jordan (both hamstring) took part in nets as they look to shrug off doubts. Alex Hales is likely to be fit after hurting his hand dropping a catch in the fifth and final ODI at Perth.