Gus Atkinson was caught unawares by his World Cup selection but England’s latest pace weapon believes The Hundred has primed him for a step-up to the international fold.
Atkinson was optimistic of being selected for four T20s against New Zealand but he can set his sights higher after his inclusion in the ODI squad, plus England’s 15-man preliminary party for the World Cup.
Jofra Archer’s troublesome elbow has all but ended his hopes of being involved in England’s 50-over title defence but Atkinson was still surprised to be given the nod and had to adopt his best poker face when taking a phone call from white-ball head coach Matthew Mott in the Oval Invincibles dressing room.
It has been at the Kia Oval-based club where Atkinson has caught the eye in recent weeks, regularly exceeding 90mph and topping out at 95mph while he also has a deceptive slower ball in his armoury, and he feels going up against some established names has set him up perfectly for England duty.
He told the PA news agency: “I wasn’t really expecting to be picked for the World Cup. I’d heard rumours for the New Zealand T20s but to be picked for the ODIs and the World Cup was pretty cool.
“I’m just overjoyed. It was tough to try and keep it a secret from people at first as I was at the Oval getting ready with the Invincibles when I found out so trying not to smile was very hard.
“But I spoke to my family who are obviously very happy and very proud. This summer been very good and it’s all happened pretty quickly. It’s been my first experience of The Hundred and it’s been very, very good.
“There’s top world-class batters in every team and bowling against them has helped. I’ve been performing well against international players in The Hundred, so there’s no reason why I can’t do that on the international stage.”
Atkinson was able to make an impression last week on England captain Jos Buttler, who landed a couple of blows on the quick for the Manchester Originals but was beaten all ends up by a 94mph free hit.
While he is unsure he can up his speeds – “I’m not sure about that,” he said with a laugh – Atkinson has enjoyed the exposure he has received with all matches in The Hundred televised.
He said: “Every game so far, my beans have been going. It’s the first time I’d played against Jos, you have it in your head what a world-class player he is.
“I wasn’t really thinking about the bigger picture when I was bowling at him but I was just trying to do my job – hit the pitch hard and try to bowl quick.”
Atkinson has always had that trait of natural pace but his development was stymied by three stress fractures in his back, which had the knock-on consequence of leaving him with internal doubts.
Trusting his body again was as complicated as recovering from those injuries but Atkinson is now at full-throttle and grateful his attributes have seen him fast-tracked into the England set-up.
He said: “This year, playing all the T20 games for Surrey in the (Vitality) Blast, it was nice to be backed and to know I was going to play. That’s helped a lot.
“My skills and ability have always been there, I’ve always had pace in me, but I’ve felt like I’m a few years behind with my career in terms of those injuries.
“To be selected by England without having to go through three or four years of graft is nice.”
Atkinson has just two List A matches under his belt and has never before been to India, where England will attempt to retain their world title in October and November.
But the 25-year-old, who intends to seek out advice from Surrey team-mate and good friend Reece Topley, is confident he has a formula to thrive in any conditions, irrespective of the format.
He said: “When I switch from four-day cricket to T20 cricket, I don’t change too much. I just try to focus on bowling my best ball and keep it as simple as possible, so I’ll do that when it comes to 50-over cricket.”
IPL: Du Plessis shines as RCB revival continues against Titans
A rapid 64 from captain Faf du Plessis helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a third consecutive Indian Premier League win as they again saw off Gujarat Titans.
RCB comfortably defeated the Titans in an away game six days ago and then comprehensively saw off Shubman Gill’s side once more on Saturday, this time at home.
After the Titans were bowled out for 147, RCB raced to a four-wicket victory with 38 balls to spare to move off the bottom of the IPL table, jumping up to seventh after overcoming a brief scare towards the end of their chase.
Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal and Vijaykumar Vyshak took two wickets apiece as the Titans struggled batting first, falling to 19-3 midway through the sixth over. They needed Shahrukh Khan (37), Rahul Tewatia (35) and David Miller (30) to post some kind of total, with Tewatia passing 1,000 career IPL runs.
Any faint hopes of halting RCB’s run of form were ended when Du Plessis fired 64 from just 23 balls with 10 fours and three sixes, ably supported by opening partner Virat Kohli (42).
A brief spell of chaos saw RCB fall from 92-0 to 117-6 with Josh Little taking 4-45, but Dinesh Karthik (21 not out) and Swapnil Singh (15no) steadied the ship and finished off the chase.
Data Debrief: Kohli regains Orange Cap
While Du Plessis top scored in this game, another good knock from Kohli, who hit four maximums, saw the India great regain possession of the Orange Cap. With 542 runs in IPL 2024, Kohli has a narrow lead over CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (509).
Kohli is averaging 67.75 and striking at 148.08, with four fifties and a century to his name from just 11 innings in a memorable campaign.
He has helped RCB recover from being beaten in seven of their first eight games, while the Titans, finalists in each of the last two editions, have now lost four of their last five.
Windies A end Nepal tour with six wicket defeat; top five-match series 3-2
West Indies A concluded their tour of South Asia on a losing note, as they were handed a six-wicket beating by Nepal in the final encounter of a five-match T20 series at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, on Saturday.
Despite the loss, the Caribbean side topped the series 3-2, but had very little to celebrate, as they failed to really put together a dominant collective display. Instead, the series win was lined with individual performances, namely from captain Roston Chase, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Alick Athanaze, as well as stellar efforts from Gudakesh Motie and Obed McCoy with the ball.
It was more of the same in the curtain call contest, where Athanaze’s unbeaten 29-ball 42 and Chase’s 33 off 23 balls, were the highlight of the West Indies A innings, which ended at 172-7, after they opted to take first strike.
Sagar Dhakal (3-17) and Sompal Kami (3-16) did the damage for Nepal with the ball.
In reply, Nepal, courtesy of half-centuries from Aasif Sheikh (51) and Anil Sah (58), easily got to their target with seven balls to spare.
McCoy led West Indies A bowlers with 3-36.
Scores: West Indies A 172-7 (20 overs); Nepal 173-4 (18.5 overs)
After losing opener Kushal Bhurtel (13) to McCoy in the second over, Nepal had very little trouble fending off West Indies A’s bowling attack, as Sheikh and Sah put together a 96-run second wicket stand, which laid the platform for the victory.
Wicketkeeper Sheikh smashed two fours and five sixes in his 35-ball knock, while Sah had four fours and four sixes in his 58 off 45 balls.
Even when that partnership was eventually broken by McCoy, who removed Sheikh in the 14th over, the host remained in firm control, and the win was inevitably wrapped up by Kushal Malla, who struck three fours and three sixes in a brisk unbeaten 18-ball 37.
Earlier, West Indies A lost their top order in the eighth over with just 60 runs on the board, as Johnson Charles (24), Kadeem Alleyne (11) and Mark Deyal (11), all failed to repel the attack of Dhakal’s slow left-arm orthodox spin.
Chase, who struck five boundaries in his 23-ball 33, and Athanaze, who had one four and three maximums, tried to repair the damage with a 40-run fourth wicket stand, before the former fell in the 14th over.
Matthew Forde, with a 12-ball cameo of 23, including three sixes, added some impetus to the innings, but when he fell to Kami, West Indies A lucked out, as the right had medium fast bowler also removed Fabian Allen (three) and Motie (one) in quick succession.
Athanaze and Hayden Walsh (seven) were left not out.
Pep Guardiola backs England for Euro 2024 success
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola believes it is only a matter of time before England get over the line at a major international tournament and gives them every chance of triumphing at Euro 2024.
England are among the favourites to win this summer's Euros in Germany along with the host nation, France, Spain and Portugal.
The Three Lions were runners-up at Euro 2020 after losing in heart-breaking fashion on penalties to Italy in the final at Wembley.
They have also come close in the last two World Cup tournaments, making the semi-finals in 2018 and the last eight in 2022.
Guardiola, who has England stars like Phil Foden, John Stones, Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish in his Man City squad, drew comparisons his side knocking on the door in the Champions League for many years before their eventual continental success in 2023.
He would also have closely watched many of his former Barcelona players play a key role in the Spain team at Euro 2008, which would prove to be the first of three straight major tournament successes after many years of near misses for La Roja before that.
With Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham among England's options for the tournament, Guardiola likes what he sees.
"The national team? Really good. But it's not just the talent of the strikers, it's the whole package, the whole group. Gareth [Southgate] knows perfectly what he has to do," Guardiola told reporters.
"I have the feeling, everyone has the feeling, that the England national team, in the last events, the World Cup and European Championships, they made steps.
"They are on the verge, they are really close. They lost a final and got to a semi-final.
"When you arrive at these stages every two years, it's going to happen.
"It's quite similar to us – we were close and, in the end, we lifted it. Just believe it. If they believe it they can do it, believe it and they can do it."
The Euros begin on June 14 and England will be expected to top a group that also contains Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia.
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