REECE IS THE WORD
Fit and firing, Topley sets sights on South Africa...AND an Ashes series
THIS hasn’t been a year that most people will remember particularly fondly — but don’t expect Reece Topley to wish away 2020.
The Surrey left-armer returned to the England side after a four-year absence in the one- day series against Ireland back in August.
And, on Tuesday, he was named in both short format squads for England’s tour to South Africa later this month – an indication of the way he’s viewed by his country now he is injury-free.
In fact, he is feeling so good about his game that he is not even discounting winning a first Test cap and booking himself a place on a flight Down Under for next winter’s Ashes.
Little wonder he is not itching to see the back of a year that has thrust him back into England’s plans.
“I’ve always had confidence in my ability and I knew that, if I was on the pitch, then I would be good enough to contribute to the national side,” he said.
“For a while, that was the issue – getting on the field. There was always a long- term vision, but that has required a lot of patience.
“You’re never going to say that you’re not going to have another injury, no one can say that, but I’m in a really good place.
“Red ball has always been a priority for me. As long as I’ve got a ball in my hand and a wicket in front of me, it doesn’t matter what situation or format it is. I’m going to try and get a wicket, I’m going to try and beat the batsman. I just want to play any form of cricket, it’s something I definitely want to do.
“There are a lot of other people ahead of me, but, if I was given a run of four four-day cricket, then who kno knows?
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want the chance to play in the Ashes. But, as I said, there’s a lot of people I would have to leapfrog to get there.” Topley first burst on to the scene as a teenager with Essex, having also hitting the headlines as a 15-year-old when he was knocked out by a Kevin Pietersen (above) drive as he helped England’s batsmen prepare for the 2009 T20 World Cup.
Just seven years later, he was performing in the competition himself, playing in England’s opening two matches of the 2016 tournament in India.
That remains his most recent appearance in a T20 international.
And a run of injuries, after leaving Essex, left him questioning whether he even had a future in the game.
Now fit and firing, he is eyeing a second tilt at the T20 World Cup next year.
And he believes that time is on his side, regardless of what happens between now and then.
“I’d like to play for another 10 years,” he added. “I’m coming to the years when most people would consider you to be at your peak, so I hope there’s plenty more to come.
“It was great to pull on that England shirt again this summer. Now I want to do it again and again.”