Curran relishing Archer battle for World Cup berth

TOM CURRAN hopes he can bring his Big Bash success to the Caribbean with the battle for World Cup places hotting up at start of the white-ball leg of England’s West Indies tour. The senior Curran brother had a prolific season for the Sydney Sixers in Australia before leaving ahead of their losing semi-final yesterday and making the long journey to Barbados for tomorrow’s warm-up match. And it is another bowler who has been featuring in the Big Bash who will cast a shadow over this series ahead of his attempt to gatecrash England’s World Cup party this summer. Jofra Archer, most latterly of Hobart Hurricanes, qualifies for England next month and, as an all-rounder of rare gifts, could be thrown straight into the World Cup squad in April without yet appearing for his adopted country. But for that to happen, one of the bowlers who have taken England to the top of the world rankings would have to miss out, with Curran, 23, a prime candidate to make way for the Barbadian with an English father and British passport. ‘It’s not my job to select the side, so I don’t know what the thoughts are, but for me it’s just about doing my thing and hopefully things take care of themselves,’ said Curran, who played in England’s last three 50-over matches in Sri Lanka before Christmas. ‘I try not to look at the options. You want to be playing, but I don’t get too caught up in it because it’s out of my control. I’ll be focusing on what I can do and we’ll cross those bridges when they come. ‘But I’m sure Jofra would be welcomed if he came into the squad now. It’s a great bunch of lads, so I don’t see why not.’ The positions of Curran, Mark Wood, Liam Plunkett and David Willey may all come under scrutiny when England face Chris Gayle and Co, starting at the Kensington Oval on Wednesday, with Olly Stone, fitness permitting, and Sam Curran joining Archer in trying to force their way in. Tom Curran’s success in Australia as a death bowler, one of Archer’s prime skills, is set to earn him a starting berth against a West Indies President’s XI tomorrow in what will be a proper List A match as opposed to the glorified match practice the Test side faced here. ‘It helps to play on the biggest stage apart from international cricket in those big franchise tournaments, so to go to the Big Bash and do well gives me a lot of confidence,’ he said. ‘It was bittersweet for me to leave the Sixers, but England is No 1. Hopefully I can put in some good performances here and get in that World Cup squad.’