MILLS TURNS UP THE HEAT
ENGLAND are set to unleash the raw speed of Tymal Mills on India tomorrow in an attempt to stem the flow of runs that has rained down on them all winter. The start of a three-match Twenty20 series to conclude the tour provides a chance for England to see whether one of the world’s fastest bowlers can succeed where their one-paced attack has largely failed. Mills is as quick as they come but his progress has been compromised by a congenital back condition that not only threatened his career but also his ability to lead a normal life. Now, with the problem fully diagnosed and treated, he has become the epitome of a modern cricketer, playing in Twenty20 competitions all around the world where four overs a game does not provide too much strain. ‘This is my life now and this is where I want to be,’ said Mills of his career in short-form cricket. ‘I’m in a unique situation that has been forced upon me but I’m lucky to be doing what I do. Everything I do is geared towards becoming the best Twenty20 player I can be.’ That drive has taken the Sussex bowler to T20 leagues in Bangladesh, New Zealand and Australia this winter, and he was again clocked at 93mph in his two games for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash before arriving here. ‘I have a point of difference in being left-armed and able to bowl fast. I’ll always try to bowl quick,’ said Mills. ‘But I’ve got to be smart because against high-quality batsmen the faster you bowl, the faster it comes off the bat. This will be a great chance to see where I’m at.’ Mills looks certain to bring what England hope will be an X-factor on a Green Park pitch the groundsman insists will be a batting paradise, with Chris Woakes not in the Twenty20 squad and David Willey unlikely to play with a shoulder injury. But even if he builds on the promise shown in his one match for England to date, when he conceded 22 runs in his four overs against Sri Lanka in Southampton last year, it remains unlikely he can progress to 50 overs. ‘I’m only 24 and I’ve spent a lot of time injured so I don’t want to put myself at risk,’ said Mills. ‘I’ve played pretty consecutively this winter and been injury-free so I want to stay healthy.’