Friday 26 June 2015 20:18, UK
David Willey believes Test recognition with England will be reliant on an injury-free period of cricket.
The all-rounder missed a large part of the 2014 season after a stress fracture in his back was discovered, interrupting a run of county form which had seen him described as the ‘Northants Ian Botham’ by his club captain Alex Wakely.
Willey has returned to form in emphatic style in white-ball cricket for England, playing a starring role in the T20 win over New Zealand on Tuesday after taking seven wickets for the national side in the one-day series triumph against the Black Caps.
Time is on the side of the 25-year-old Willey but he is keen to force his way into the Test fold after losing valuable career time to injury.
“I’d like to see myself playing in all formats, I haven’t pigeon-holed myself as a one-day player at all,” said Willey, who took 3-22 in the T20 at Old Trafford and superbly ran out Kane Williamson.
“I know I need to make sure I put in the performances on the park and a long string of injuries for me has meant I’ve missed a lot of cricket over the past two years.
“For now, it’s making sure I stay fit and hopefully if I can put a few good performances in over the next few years then hopefully I’ll get a look-in down the line.”
This summer’s Investec Ashes series looks likely to be too soon for Willey but England have shown their willingness to explore the option of a left-arm seamer with Derbyshire’s Mark Footitt travelling with the 14-man training squad to Spain this week.
Willey is looking forward to watching the Ashes, and feels the one-day form of the national side will stand them in good stead against a strong Australian side.
“It was all about being positive and being aggressive in every decision that we made (in the one-day internationals),” he said. “I don’t think they expected it to come together as quickly as I did and that was very exciting.
“The way the public supported us in England was exceptional and it was a fantastic series of cricket, on and off the field.
“Quite a few of the guys carry over into that team and of course all of the backroom staff do too so there’s plenty of positivity we’re taking across. It’ll be a very exciting series.
“There are some quality players there and it’s going to be very exciting to watch.”
