Remember us say England’s forgotten men
Nottinghamshire 534 & 289-5 drew with Durham 447
SCOTT Borthwick and Harry Gurney used the Bank Holiday weekend to show that they are still desperately keen to return to the international arena.
Durham’s Borthwick turned in one of the most outstanding allround performances of the campaign by scoring an unbeaten 188, as well as taking eight wickets in the match, including a first innings haul of 5-79.
The 26-year old left-hander rattled off his third Championship hundred of the season to take his aggregate for the campaign to 574 runs at an impressive 82.00; a continuation of recent successes.
“For each of the three seasons that I’ve been batting up the order at No.3, I’ve just tried to better myself each year,” he revealed. “Last year I scored just short of 1,200 runs, so that’s the aim right now, to better that in the County Championship. Right now I think I’m in pretty good form and just want to try and kick on and keep the runs coming.”
With two centuries made for Wellington, prior to the start of our domestic campaign, Borthwick has already scored five hundreds in 2016, the sort of return that may see him add to his solitary Test appearance, made against Australia at Sydney in early 2014.
“It’s definitely a dream,” he admitted. “I’ve only played one Test match and a couple of one-dayers. It’s an exciting place to be if you play for England, so if it does come again I’ll be over the moon but it’s out of my control.
“All I can do is put performances in for Durham, whether it’s with bat or ball, and hope that it’s good enough.”
It is 18 months since Nottinghamshire’s Gurney made the last of his 12 white-ball appearances for England but his performances this season have suggested that his best days aren’t behind him.
He’s already picked up 28 firstclass victims this season and believes he’s in a consistent patch of form. “With the exception of one day against Warwickshire, I feel like I’m bowling really well and am happy with the way the ball is coming out,” he said. “Thankfully, I’ve started to get some rewards for it lately, as well.”
Reece Topley and David Willey have featured in recent England white-ball squads but both are currently convalescing from injury, raising the possibility that the selectors might again turn towards the Notts left-arm pace man.
“I certainly wouldn’t say I’ve given up on England as I still believe I’ve got what it takes to perform at international level,” said Gurney. “I’ve done it before and hopefully I’ll get an opportunity to do it at some stage again but I guess some of it will come down to how desperately they want a leftarmer in the team.
“If they do want a left-armer then I think I’m a good option and hopefully I can force my way into their thoughts regardless of which arm I bowl with. If the fact I’m a left-armer gives me that extra edge, then that’s great as well.”
Brendan Taylor and Riki Wessels used the opening couple of days to score their first hundreds of the season but Borthwick’s chanceless knock, made from 279 balls, with 28 fours and a six, was a response of the highest order, ensuring that his side comfortably saved the follow on and picked up maximum batting points.
Rain wiped out most of the final two sessions but not before Taylor had reached his second century of the match, getting there from 79 deliveries, with nine fours and five sixes.