Both Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow of Yorkshire have rested from the next two Tests against New Zealand following their efforts in the Indian Premier League, meaning Ben Foakes was ready to retain ground maintenance duties for the series.
However, Surrey’s glove tore his hamstring with a strange slip on a locker room sock last week, so Bracey of Gloucestershire, originally named on England’s 15-man squad as batting cover, enters. in Game.
He has spent much of the last year training with England as a reserve in the extended squad bubbles at home and abroad and is now likely to bow against the Kiwis in Test 1, which begins at Lord’s on Wednesday.
While a lucky turn of events looks set to offer him his chance, Bracey is determined to capitalize on more assignments against India later in the summer and the Ashes in Australia later in the year.
“Many times things happen that are not expected,” he said. “I have had many occasions this winter where I have been trying to calculate how I am getting into the team and how I am going to take advantage of that opportunity.
“That moment, hopefully, has now come. I benefited from Foakesy having a freak accident and I think if I put in good performances in the next two games that could put me in bed in the team moving forward.
“I’m watching every game at once and this week if I go out, it’s not only an opportunity to push myself with the gloves, but also to show what I can do with the bat and show that I can do different roles.
“I am very excited about the possibility of playing with two of the best teams in the world this summer and obviously an Ashes tour next winter is another goal as well.
“We’ll see how these first games go and then hopefully I’ll be in a position where they can’t ignore me.”
While Bracey relishes the idea of pulling England’s whites, he reserved sympathy for Foakes, who faces three months on the sidelines. However, Foakes has given his replacement advice on what to expect this week.
Making a debut in English conditions with the ball in motion is overwhelming enough, but Bracey will also have to deal with the famous slope at Home of Cricket, a feature that has proven difficult for many stumpers in the past.
“I’m heartbroken for him,” Bracey said of Foakes.
“I spoke with him [on Sunday] and he’s really helpful to me in terms of keeping and our different bowlers and how you can combat that and the challenges that he might face.
“I know he’s broken, but he’s been brilliant with me for the past 48 hours.”
Bracey, who traveled to Sri Lanka and India as a backup for England last winter, is used to hitting the first knockdown and has racked up 479 runs averaging 47.9 in this season’s LV = Insurance County Championship.
If he makes his first appearance in England, he will face a lower spot in the order, but the 24-year-old was unfazed by the prospect, adding: “I’m in a really good spot with my hitting.
“I came out of that trip to Asia and thought I could do a test cricket job in the top three, that’s what I had set out to do. If the option comes up to do that at some point, I’m very excited about that.
“I am just preparing for all circumstances. With the maintenance duties I am also prepared so that, if I play, I can hit at six or seven. I’m not very used to lowering the order, but I’m sure I’ll be quick to do it. “
England, meanwhile, had a brief scare in their practice session Monday afternoon when captain Joe Root was hit in the right hand while hitting the nets. The Yorkshire man received treatment before resuming hitting and is expected to be fit for tomorrow.
New Zealand coach Gary Stead, meanwhile, hopes England are fully prepared for the series despite missing key men such as Buttler, Bairstow, Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes.
“The England team still has a lot of experience, spread across their ranks there with the bat and the ball.
“We certainly went into this series with no illusions that we are playing an England team that is now almost in the middle of its summer, that has played a lot of cricket and I guess for us, we probably almost feel like we are a bit behind the eight ball with that right now. “
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Source: www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-05-31 22:08:38
