Kieswetter makes his case

England wannabe embraces challenge of limited overs game

Last updated: 17th February 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Kieswetter makes his case

Kieswetter: No slogger

In other forms of the game, like 50 overs, I'd like to think I can bat through and help win games.

Craig Kieswetter
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Craig Kieswetter insisted he was not just a slogger after hitting 81 off just 66 balls as England Lions defeated England by five wickets in a Twenty20 warm-up match.

The Somerset wicketkeeper-batsman took apart the England bowling as he pushed his claims for a quick promotion to Andy Flower's side.

It was the first time South African-born Kieswetter took the field as a fully-qualified England player, having completed his qualification period on Tuesday, and it appears to be just a matter of time before he get his first cap.

"I played field hockey when I was younger and that probably comes into the technique a bit," he said.

"Usually I just swing from the hip as hard as I can. I like to think I can hit the ball hard but I don't like to see myself as a slogger.

"In other forms of the game, like 50 overs, I'd like to think I can bat through and help win games.

"You have to weigh up a brand new ball against the field restrictions but I quite like the fact that there are only two men out (of the ring) in the first six overs."

Standards

Kieswetter received an early life when he was dropped by Stuart Broad but he said the conditions at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi make catching difficult at times.

"Obviously I had quite a nice chance being dropped early on," he added. "But the sky actually plays quite a big factor here. In training we have struggled to take those high catches."

Explaining the desire to impress among David Parsons' shadow XI, Kieswetter added: "As Lions we set standards and we want to be able to play the aggressive brand of cricket England as a whole are trying to play.

"Throughout our series we've been trying to play this kind of brave cricket that England are looking to play."

Ideal

England's Luke Wright, off whom the winning runs were struck, said it was an excellent warm-up match for the side despite the defeat.

"Ideally you want to win but we've all got to get rid of a few cobwebs," said the all-rounder. "As far as a friendly goes it was brilliant for us because it was a close game.

"If you come to these games and just win then you don't get a lot out of it.

"There are guys who want to come into this squad and guys who want to keep their place so it was always going to be competitive."