It Is Very Tough To Break Into A Strong England Squad, Says Matt Parkinson After Being Dropped For The South Africa Tour

England leg-spinner, Matt Parkinson says he is ‘gutted’ to miss out on tour to South Africa. Parkinson made his international T20I debut in November last year in New Zealand. He played 2 T20Is and 2 ODIs before getting injured and missing out on the home season.

The England team has arrived in South Africa and is under isolation. The Three Lions will take on the Proteas for three T20I matches starting 27th November followed by three ODIs. All matches will take place in Cape Town and Paarl. Meanwhile, two South African players have tested positive – their identities undisclosed – and hence,  the inter-squad practice match has been cancelled.

I was gutted not to be selected: Matt Parkinson

Matt Parkinson has expressed his frustration on not being selected for a visit to South Africa where he made his ODI debut in February. He said that doesn’t really know where he stands with regards to the England team.

He opined that keeping himself fit during the lockdown was difficult before he came to play for Lancashire. Post the resumption of cricket in the pandemic era, the leg-spinner has been playing for Lancashire in the Vitality Blast 2020 and has picked 15 wickets in 11 matches at an economy of 7.68. The 24-year-old thinks that he has done well and could have been chosen as a back-up spinner for Adil Rashid.

As quoted by ESPNcricinfo, Matt Parkinson said, ESPNcricinfo was gutted not to be selected. It was an odd summer, really. I did not really know where I stood [with England] when I came back to play for Lancashire.

“To be fit in the whole of lockdown and then get so close to the season… it was stinking timing. I think I played 11 T20 games. I started a bit slowly but I thought I might have pushed my case in them with a decent finish and I was hoping I could sneak on as a back-up spinner to Rash [Adil Rashid] but obviously it was not to be.”

The Bolton-born said that Ed Smith, England National Selector, called him up but didn’t give too much feedback on the leg-spinner’s future with the team. Parkinson understands that the England team in limited-overs cricket is a really strong outfit and it is very difficult to make in the squad, let alone the playing eleven. Therefore, the youngster is willing to focus on his weaknesses to get better and be ready for any opportunity.

“It was Ed Smith who rang me. He did not really give too much feedback but he would have been making the same phone call to 10 or 15 lads. Obviously, the squad that they have taken is fantastic and is a very tough one to break into, so all I can do is keep working,” Mark Parkinson said.

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