JOR JUST NOT QUICK ENOUGH ..UNLIKE JOFRA
LAIDLAW: LET’S SPRING PARIS SHOCK
ENGLAND are moving closer to picking a Barbados-born fast bowler for the World Cup – but it won’t be Chris Jordan.
The 30-year-old Sussex all-rounder has played in every format for his adopted country over the past six years, and yet his hopes of making the squad appear dead in the water.
And while his friend and County team-mate Jofra Archer continues to be the subject of England’s biggest selection dilemma, Jordan feeds off T20 scraps.
He has been leapfrogged by Tom and Sam Curran, Olly Stone and even Craig Overton, who have all made their ODI debuts since he last played. Jordan’s ability to close out the ‘death’ overs at the end of an innings have left the selectors unconvinced.
Yet these are the same selectors who were happy to pick Jos Buttler for Test cricket based on his IPL form, and who are ready to parachute Archer into the World Cup squad based on his T20 displays in leagues around the globe.
“We did talk about Chris and he played for the Lions last summer,” said national selector Ed Smith. “He was the outstanding seam bowler in that tournament with India A and West Indies A. We didn’t want him to drift completely out of 50-over contention. But he’s typically been viewed as a T20 ‘death’ specialist.
“I don’t think we’ve missed anything with him, but the jobs are slightly different, bowling four overs with two or three of them near the back end.
“There is a slightly different balance over the course of a 50-over game.”
With just 14 List A games under his belt but 81 T20 matches to his name, the 23-year-old Archer is still on course to be a late addition to England plans without ever playing an international match.
His point of difference is the pace he can generate over 90 miles per hour, seemingly with little effort and an easy approach to the crease, which appeals to skipper Eoin Morgan (below with Jordan).
And with Mark Wood showing how important pace can be in the current ODI series, both David Willey and Tom Curran will be under pressure from the new man.
Morgan said: “I’ve played against Jofra quite a lot and he puts in big performances. When he becomes available it is a conversation we will need to have with the selectors – 90mph bowlers are hard to come by.”
vGREIG LAIDLAW admits he couldn’t stomach another Six Nations Groundhog Day in France.
The Dark Blues’ skipper is well aware spring is never early in Paris after 20 years of defeats and history repeating.
Head coach Gregor Townsend pulled the strings in Paris back in 1999 and Laidlaw (right), who recalls watching it on TV as a 14-year-old, said: “It’s up to us now, as a group, as a collective, to take the step and win away from home.
“I feel we’re playing good enough rugby to win, yes I do and I’ve pushed that point home this week.
“We need to do that, absolutely, there’s no getting away from that.”