Carse brings the X factor
BEN BACKS NEW PACEMAN
BEN STOKES has long tipped Brydon Carse for international honours – and now he may get the chance to hand the latest Durham quick bowler his first England cap.
Carse is one of nine uncapped players in the all-new England ODI squad after 16 players were forced into isolation due to a Covid outbreak in the camp.
And the 25-year-old speedster is set to add his name to the North East production line in the threegame series against Pakistan.
Carse has been a mainstay of Durham’s first-class attack, and shone on the Lions tour to Australia last year, but England reckon he could fulfil the role in the middle overs once expertly held by World Cup winner Liam Plunkett.
“I’ve known Brydon from the academy days,” said stand-in skipper Stokes.
“He’s come on over the past few years and the Lions progressed his game even further. He’s a seriously impressive cricketer. He’s known for his bowling but is a genuinely good batsman as well. He’s got pace, that X factor every team wishes they have and
I see him in a similar role to Liam Plunkett in the England team for a number of years.”
England are set to turn to Middlesex keeperbatsman John Simpson rather than ask Ben Duckett to take the gloves. There could also be room for Gloucestershire’s 30-year-old left-arm seamer David Payne, who described his call-up as “everything I ever wanted”.
“I played with David at Under-19 level,” added Stokes. “And you don’t get picked in an England team without being successful in county cricket. Simmo as well, I have played against him a lot for Middlesex. He’s a very, very talented player and a very good gloveman as well.”
ENGLAND (probable): Crawley, Vince, Malan, Stokes (c), Duckett, Lawrence, Simpson (wk), Carse, Payne, Parkinson, Mahmood. PAKISTAN (probable): Imam, Fakhar, Babar (c), Rizwan (wk), Sohail, Maqsood, Shadab, Nawaz, Hasan, Shaheen, Rauf.