Salt & pep up PHIL’S CUP AIM
RAIN couldn’t stop Northamptonshire moving to the top of the Vitality Blast North Group. The Steelbacks’ clash with Worcestershire Rapids was a washout but the single point they gained moved them ahead of Lancashire Lightning.
In a rain-affected game, Derbyshire beat Yorkshire by six wickets using the Duckworth-Lewis method.
CRACKING the safe at Fort Knox might be easier than breaking into England’s World Cup-winning side at the moment.
But explosive opener Phil Salt is hoping he has the tools to do just that between now and their 50-overs title defence in India next year. Salt was in scintillating form in England’s record-breaking opener against Netherlands on Friday – hitting a maiden century.
And while he acknowledges even getting his foot in the door will not be easy, he is determined to “give selectors a headache” as they look to fine-tune their squad.
Salt said: “They are world champions and such a strong XI with a full-strength side out. But hopefully I can keep doing stuff like that and keep putting my name in the hat.”
The “stuff like that” was an impressive 122 from 93 balls in an innings with three sixes and 14 fours.
Yet it was not a surprise given Salt, 25, has already shown similar power in his six outings in ODIs and T20s – hitting 60 in the second of three 50-over outings against Pakistan last summer and a 24-ball 57 at No.6 in a T20 against West Indies in January.
Such versatility could be Salt’s strongest suit, with him providing very competent back-up not only to the openers but the middle order of Liam Livingstone and Ben Stokes.
“One thing I’m not going to do is look too far ahead and distract myself,” he said. “If you want to play for Morgs (Eoin Morgan) you have to play a certain type of way and he’s very clear with that.
“He sets the goalposts very clearly, that’s what I’m doing I guess.”
Assuming England bat first, Salt will again open alongside Jason Roy as they have another crack at breaking the 500 mark in Amstelveen today.
That means the role of setting up the platform for the talents of Jos Buttler and Livingstone to pick up the baton.
“When I get the opportunity, I’ve got to perform and I’ve got to do well,” he said. “That’s how it’s going to work if you want to have a long England career.”