Parkinson is primed for top billing

IT IS hard to remain inconspicuous when you are sporting a fluorescent bib. Such has been the lot over recent years of Matt Parkinson, who would much rather be drawing attention to himself for a different reason.

Namely, solving England’s uneasy relationship with legspin and fulfilling Shane Warne’s belief that the 25-year-old has the necessary tools to succeed at Test level.

‘I’ve done a lot of 12th man actually,’ he says with a nervous laugh as he discusses the prospect of a Test debut against West Indies next month.

‘On previous tours, I never felt properly close to playing, so I hope this is different.’

Two years ago, Parkinson was a member of the squads dispatched to New Zealand and South Africa. Last winter, he was among the Covid reserves shadowing the team in Sri Lanka and India. He did a lot of bowling, just not in the middle.

And when he did play for England in limited-overs assignments in 2019-20, a theory developed that his deliveries were too slow through the air to trouble international batsmen.

Not so, according to Australian maestro Warne, who argued last summer: ‘If you can spin the ball, you’ll be successful, no matter what form of the game. I think he bowls a beautiful pace.’

Meanwhile, Mark Wood and Jonny Bairstow were bought for dizzying sums in the Indian Premier League.

England fast bowler Wood will represent Lucknow Super Giants. Bairstow was picked up by Punjab Kings. Wood and Bairstow will earn £731,250 and £658,125 respectively for the

2022 season.