Willey fitness boost for England

DAVID Willey has avoided serious damage to his left shoulder and will join England’s Twenty20 squad in Kanpurf today or further assessment.

The Yorkshire seamer pulled up injured after bowling two overs of Sunday’s third one-day international against India at Eden Gardens, which the tourists won by five runs to avert a series whitewash.

Willey remained in Kolkata as the rest of the squad flew north to begin preparations for the three T20s and England initially feared the 26-year-old, who had his left-arm in a sling, would be ruled out of the series.

But scans taken locally showed no significant problems and he will fly out to join the group today. England are likely to be cautious in their treatment of Willey but they are hopeful he could still play some part in the final leg of a long and trying winter tour.

T here was good news for two of England’s touring party as they arrived in Kanpur, with opener Jason Roy and all-rounder Moeen Ali picked up at the Pakistan Super League supplementary draft.

Roy will play for Lahore Qalandars and Moeen completes a quartet of Englishmen at Quetta Gladiators, who already have deals in place with Kevin Pietersen, Luke Wright and Tymal Mills. Willey was let go by the Gladiators, a result of uncertainty over his injury, and Alex Hales’ broken hand means he will not play for Peshawar Zalmi.

The competition’s group stage is being held in Dubai and Sharjah and gets under way on February 9. England’s ODI players will only be available for a limited window with the first warm-up match of their West Indian tour on February 25.