TOM HAS A GOOD LOOK AT HIMSELF
TOM WESTLEY admits he is still a long way from establishing himself in the England Test team.
That was brought home to him in no uncertain terms on a shopping trip with Alastair Cook ahead of the first Test against West Indies in Birmingham.
“I was with Cookie just looking for some trainers and a guy pulled him to one side and asked for a selfie,” Westley said.
“One of his friends was like, ‘Do you want him in it?’ pointing at me, and the guy was like, ‘No, no, it’s just his mate’. So I just stood there.”
Having said that, the 28-year-old is on the verge of cementing has place in the side.
He scored a halfcentury and a couple of 20s against South Africa in the first two of his three Tests and he looks to be just one good innings – hopefully at Leeds this weekend – away from nailing down an Ashes slot.
Attacks
“If I play this next game and get a good start and kick on, then my time will come as it will for other players in the changing room. That is my philosophy,” he added.
“I took a lot of confidence from that debut 50. Morne Morkel bowled fantastically well throughout that series and he is part of one of the best bowling attacks in the world.
“So I can take a lot of confidence from scoring runs – not big runs but if you can occupy the crease for that length of time, then hopefully in the future I can do that against other attacks.
“I haven’t felt completely out of my depth but have been a bit gutted that I didn’t ® capitalise on some good situations.”
Westley insists the fact he has not yet cemented his place makes it easier for him to stop worrying about Australia.
“I am focusing on the here and now because I need to score runs,” he said.
“If I don’t then I won’t achieve that childhood dream of playing in the Ashes.
“So I’m very much in the here and the now.”
But he is a bit worried how mum Mags might react if he does get called up.
“I spoke to mum on the phone last night about hopefully getting selected for the third Test at Lord’s and she just started crying,” he said.
“She could not speak back to me. I thought the signal had gone!
“Growing up that’s what she envisaged for me as her son, playing at Lord’s.
“So I can’t even bring up the Ashes – it would be times that by 10.” ¬