Denly joins squad for first Test
Kent’s Joe Denly has been included in England’s 14-man squad for the first Ashes Test against Australia.
Denly hit 23 in the first innings of England’s one-off Test against Ireland at Lord’s last week before being run out for 10 in the second innings.
With questions still looming at the top of the batting order, the 33-year-old finds himself among the contenders to open or slot in at No.3.
Denly has been in decent form in the County Championship, hitting 167 during the 285-run win over Nottinghamshire and 154 in the draw with Hampshire.
The Kent vice-captain made scores of six and 17 on his
Test debut against West
Indies earlier this year, before supplying 20 and then 69 at
No.3 in the second Test to lead England towards a 232-run victory.
Having missed out on his nation’s final World Cup squad, Denly has since set his sights on earning his place at this year’s Ashes.
The first Ashes Test gets under way at Edgbaston today (Thursday). Head coach Matt Walker has been warmed by Jordan Cox’s self-effacing introduction to life in the Kent first-team.
With thousands of supporters and the Sky Sports cameras bearing down, the 18-yearold stepped out for his T20 Blast debut in Spitfires’ win over Somerset.
Having made his first-class debut against Hampshire the week before, Cox returned to the Rose Bowl in the white-ball competition before also featuring in Friday night’s victory over Essex, making 11 as he batted at No.7 in Kent’s 22-run T20 win at The Spitfire Ground.
Walker said: “We’re really pleased with Jordan.
“The first year is about finding your feet and getting used to the fact you’re a professional cricketer.
“He’s done very well in the white-ball competition for the 2nds. The opportunity has opened up for him in the first team and he’s done great.
“In the championship game he opened the batting but looked at home, he played nicely and looked part of our team.
“In the last T20 games he did nicely, he’s an exceptional fielder bearing in mind he’s a keeper. The catch from Peter Trego off Imran (Qayyum) against Somerset was actually a very important part of the game. “He was excellent in the field against Hampshire and had a nice little innings with an important 10.”
Cox is due to play in the England under19s’ tri-series against India and Bangladesh in August after scoring 612 runs across 10 second-team games this season.
The teenager helped Kent’s 2nds win the Second XI trophy this season, firing an unbeaten 135 against Surrey and 97 versus Yorkshire. Walker added: “The great thing is that he’s just a sponge. To be thrown into the championship game was a big step and he came through it well.
“To turn up on his T20 debut at
Canterbury under the lights in front of thousands of people, there’s going to be nerves but ultimately it was excitement for him.
“It was the same with the Rose Bowl, you forget they are big moments, you will be nervous and have doubt but for him it’s excitement to be part of the group and pick up everything he can learn from.
“He’s got a bright future ahead of him. He’s played well enough to get into the team and has plenty of time.
“It’s great that we can play these young players, with Ollie Robinson making his T20 debut and Zak Crawley being the talk of the town as well.”