Samit will use one day cup to find form

SAMIT Patel believes he can use the Royal London One-Day Cup to vault himself back in contention for England – despite an international career of fits and starts so far.

The Nottinghamshire allrounder has not been seen in an England one-day shirt since 2013 and now at 31, does not seem a fit for the youthful limited-overs side that Trevor Bayliss is developing.

But with just a year to go before England host the Champions Trophy, Patel is adamant the clock has not yet ticked down on his international ambitions.

“We have the Champions Trophy next year and then the 2019 World Cup and that’s what I want to try and aim for, to get into one of those squads,” said Patel, whose side opens their Royal London One-Day Cup campaign against Northants on Monday after reaching the semi-finals in 2015.

“I am just trying to score as many runs as I can and take as many wickets as I can and hopefully that will take me to where I want to be.

“If you have a good Royal London One-Day Cup it can put your name in the hat because you know if you are a consistent performer you can be selected.”

Elsewhere, reigning champions Gloucestershire start their defence in a West Country affair against Somerset on Sunday – and batsman Hamish Marshall believes a return to Lord’s is not out of the question.

He said: “With another year on working on our games, we are confident we will go in and give it a good crack

“The excitement and enjoyment the guys got out of the whole experience of Lord’s last year is something that we would love to go do again.”

Surrey came up short by just seven runs in last year’s final and will get their 2016 campaign up and running against Kent at Beckenham.

Also on Sunday, a rejuvenated Leicestershire – who did not win a single one-day game last term – host 2014 winners Durham, while Worcestershire entertain Derbyshire at New Road.

Last year’s quarter-finalists, Essex and Hampshire, also clash while Warwickshire travel to Emirates Old Trafford to take on Lancashire.

As proud sponsors of the One Day Cup, Royal London is giving away match tickets to see the action live. Visit royallondoncricket.com to enter.