Davies preprared to battle for Red Rose gloves with Buttler
ALEX Davies admits it’s ‘difficult’ for both him and Jos Buttler as they battle for the wicketkeeping gloves at Lancashire.
Last season Davies was behind the stumps in the Specsavers County Championship, even when Buttler was available.
But in the NatWest T20 Blast, the England keeper took the spot and Davies was left out of the side altogether.
With no Champions Trophy next summer, Buttler could be available more often for Lancashire next year once his IPL commitments are over, with Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes currently ahead of him in the Test reckoning.
And that means more difficult decisions for Lancashire head coach Glen Chapple, who has to choose between two of the best wicketkeeper/batsmen in the country.
“It is difficult for me and Jos. I want to keep in all forms, and I am sure he does as well,” said Davies.
“When he had the gloves in the T20, that was tricky for me. But when he came back for the Championship, I had the gloves and I am sure that was tricky for him.”
The issue was further complicated this year with Davies being ruled out of playing in the T20 as a batsman only by the Lancashire medical team, who didn’t want him to field to protect his knees, having missed the whole of the previous season through injury.
It’s a decision Davies found tough to take, but is hopeful next season that ban will be lifted.
“It was tough for me because in years gone by I have played as a batsman in T20 when Jos has been available,” said Davies. “But the medical team said it was too early for me to field after the knee surgery.
“It was disappointing, but I had to trust their judgement.
“Hopefully, after another five months of staying fit and strengthening over the winter, if Jos has the gloves in T20 next season, hopefully, I can prove to the medical team I am well enough to field.
“If that situation does arrive again, I want to still play as a batter. I want to keep, but if Jos is the England keeper in that format, he is going to keep here too.”
Following the signing of Keaton Jennings from Durham, Davies also has a fight to keep his place as an opener in the Championship, despite having an impressive year which resulted in an England Lions call-up this winter.
“There is going to be a bit of a scrap on as to who bats where, but I am looking forward to that,” he said.
“I will always back myself 100 per cent.
“Keaton has been somewhere I haven’t, Test cricket, and he scored a Test century.
“I am going to tap into him as much as I can, ask him what it was like to play spin in India, to play South Africa in a Test series.
“I don’t see it as a threat. If I bat one, two or three, that’s fine. Whatever is best for Lancashire.”