Sam Billings: I will bat anywhere for England
Wednesday 15 March 2017 18:04, UK
Sam Billings says he will bat anywhere he is asked for England and hopes he will get another opportunity to force his way into the team for this summer's ICC Champions Trophy.
Billings, who usually bats in the middle order for his county Kent, hit a fifty but was also dismissed for a duck in his two innings' opening the batting for England in their recent one-day series against the West Indies.
He was taken out of the side for the final ODI for Alex Hales, who made a century.
"We've got a fantastic batting line-up, it's up there as one of the best in the world at the moment," said Billings. "So all I can do is try my best every time I go out with the bat, and hopefully score some runs.
"Historically for Kent, I haven't opened the batting. It's a pretty new role for me and I'm kind of learning on the job.
"The last few years I've normally batted in the middle order, and done well there, but at the end of the day I've got to offer as many options as I can to any selector, or team I play for around the world.
"It was a great team effort to win in the West Indies, and we're now going into this summer's Champions Trophy looking really good.
"As an individual, I've just got to keep plugging away, hopefully I'll get some runs now in the IPL and then get another opportunity in the ODIs against Ireland in May."
Billings joins up with the Delhi Daredevils for a second year in the IPL, which gets underway live on Sky Sports from Wednesday, April 5.
But despite his success in the shorter formats over the last year or so, which has also seen him earn stints in Australia's Big Bash T20 tournament and the Pakistan Super League, the 25-year-old Billings says he still harbours Test ambitions.
"There is no doubt my game has progressed over the last year," added Billings. "T20, as exciting as it it is, just keeps raising the skill level and when you rub shoulders with some of the best players in the world, you're bound to pick up different things.
"But I've also still got a huge focus on four-day and Test cricket, that's the aspiration going forward.
"Obviously, at this point in time, the IPL is the next thing on my radar and then the Champions Trophy. But at some point in the summer I'll face a red ball and I'll hopefully put my name in the hat for Test selection through weight of runs for Kent.
"Andrew Strauss played over 100 Test for England and only made his debut at 28, so I'll always have the aspiration to play Test cricket for England, regardless of age."
