Willey’s relishing ODI recall
DAVID Willey is viewing an unexpected second chance with England as “a free hit” after being recalled to the one-day squad for the first time since his gut-wrenching omission from last year’s World Cup.
Willey had been involved for the duration of the four-year build-up to the tournament and even made it as far as the provisional 15-man squad before being cut for the newly available Jofra Archer.
While England, and Archer, went on to lift the trophy in an unforgettable final at Lord’s, the Yorkshire all-rounder started coming to terms with the idea that his international career might be at an end and set himself on a less complicated goal: having fun with the game again.
He has now been named in a squad of 14 for the forthcoming ODI series against Ireland England’s first on home soil since they lifted the trophy.
“I’d love to have played in the World Cup for England and I don’t think anything is going to make up for being dropped at the 11th hour, but that’s the nature of the beast,” he told the PA news agency.
“Somebody had to miss out and it was me.
“By the end of things last year I was looking over my shoulder all the time, wondering if I’d get picked and allowing myself to be consumed by that.
“If I’d have gone down swinging after that selection I might have upset a few people and they might have gone in a different direction now, but I wanted the lads to do well. Just because I missed out I wasn’t going to rubbish it, I’d been part of the group for years.
“Now I have a second chance and it almost feels like a free hit for me. I have no great expectations about being back involved; it goes well, that’s great, but if it doesn’t then I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be back in this position and whenever you get the chance to unwrap an England shirt with your name on it, whether it’s the first time or the 100th time, it is special.”
■ England squad to face Ireland: E Morgan (c), M Ali, J Bairstow, T Banton, S Billings, T Curran, L Dawson, J Denly, S Mahmood, A Rashid, J Roy, R Topley, J Vince, D Willey.