TIGER TOBY’S SIGHTS SET ON ASHES

ENGLAND v WEST INDIES

1st Test, Edgbaston, Thurs, 2pm (Day/night)

TOBY ROLAND-JONES has already graduated to Test level with honours after helping England to their first home series win against South Africa since 1998.

Pretty good for a seamer who was not even considered the best cricketer in his own family.

Roland-jones (below) has had to wait until the age of 29 to make his Test breakthrough. But a call-up of any kind looked unlikely as he packed his bags to join his brother, Olly, at university.

The Middlesex man was so disillusioned with cricket that he didn’t even attend trials at Leeds/bradford MCCU in his first year at Leeds University. When he did try out, in his second year, he was snubbed, not making it into the first-team squad.

In short, the odds of him making it as an England cricketer were as long as his M1 trek from London to Yorkshire.

“His brother Olly was captain of the squad for two years before Toby arrived,” said Nick Davis, squad manager at Leeds/bradford MCCU.

“When he arrived, he had fallen out of love with the game and really wasn’t that bothered about playing.

“He was a little bit overweight, unfit and didn’t even trial in the first year. In his second year, he trialled, but didn’t get in. There was no feeling that he was an England player in the making.

“He was playing club cricket back home, but that was about it. You could have said he wasn’t even the best player in his family, let alone university. A massive amount has happened since then.”

It certainly has. Rolandjones’ bulldozering of the South African top order, under gloomy skies at the Oval in the third Test, not only turned the series, but also sent the Middlesex man to the forefront of England’s Ashes thoughts.

It was tougher at Old Trafford, but Rolandjones can still expect to play a key role for the remainder of the international season.

That starts with England’s day-night Test against the West Indies this week.

And Davis hopes it is not too long before Rolandjones’ name is up in lights again.

“He went home before his final year and focused on his game, played for his club and came back fit and lean and ready to go,” said Davis.

“He has shown what is possible.”