Billings back for England Lions washout
Friday 30th January 2015
Kent wicketkeeper Sam Billings returned to the England Lions side for the abandoned third one-day match against South Africa A in Potchefstroom, writes Andy Wilson.
Only eight balls were possible after the Lions captain James Vince won the toss and inserted the home team, two of them bowled by Tim Bresnan – his first in England colours since the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh early last year.
The washout means the Lions cannot lose the five-match series, having won the first two games in Bloemfontein and Kimberley. The teams now move on to the Mamelodi Oval in Pretoria for the fourth match of the series on Monday.
Billings was ruled out by illness in Kimberley but returned to the full-strength squad. The Lions had made three changes from the team who won in Kimberley last Wednesday.
Sam Billings returned to the middle order in place of Adam Lyth, although Jonny Bairstow retained the wicketkeeping gloves.
Bresnan, who joined the squad in Potchefstroom after flying home early from Tasmania where he had been playing for Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash, replaced Samit Patel, and Boyd Rankin returned to the side in place of Harry Gurney, who has been feeling a slight niggle in his thigh.
The washout was equally frustrating for the South Africa players especially Quinton de Kock, Wayne Parnell and Aaron Phangiso, who had been drafted into the A-team to gain more match practice ahead of their departure with the senior World Cup squad on Wednesday.
Bresnan was drafted into the Lions squad last week for the last three games of the five-match one-day series, with the national selector James Whitaker confirming that would give him “the opportunity to show that he is ready to be considered” if England need to make any late changes to their World Cup squad.
Lions coach Mark Robinson said: "We already had strong competition for places in the team, and Tim has certainly added to that.
“It’s a good situation to be in with the games coming thick and fast at this end of the tour.
“South Africa A have called a few well-known faces into their team for this game, and the depth of our squad is likely to be tested.”
Boyd Rankin, who was left out of the Lions’ second victory of the series in Kimberley on Wednesday partly to give him a rest and partly to change the balance of the attack, is also pressing for a recall, with Jack Brooks providing yet another seam-bowling option.
The Lions are expecting to face three members of South Africa’s World Cup squad as Quinton de Kock , Wayne Parnell and Aaron Phangiso have been sent to Potchefstroom by the national selectors ahead of their departure for the tournament next week.
De Kock, the 22-year-old who is expected to be their first-choice wicketkeeper, returned ahead of schedule after an ankle injury in the last game of a one-day series against West Indies in Pretoria on Wednesday, and is keen to have more match practice.
Parnell, the 25-year-old all-rounder who has played for Kent and Sussex, played in the last two games of the West Indies series and took four wickets in Pretoria.
Phangiso, a left-arm spinner, also played in those two games and will be on home territory at Senwes Park, the Potchefstroom cricket stadium which acts as an alternative home ground to the Wanderers in Johannesburg for the Highveld Lions franchise.
See Sam Billings in action this summer with a Kent Cricket Membership.
Tickets to Kent v Australiaon June 25-28, the first game of the Ashes Tour, are included in Kent All Rounder and Championship Plus Memberships and an option for Six Pack package holders.
Members can also buy up to six guest tickets before the fixture goes on general sale in March 2015.