Butcher: Willey could be valuable member of World Cup squad

News

Cricket365
March 11, 2019

Former international batsman Mark Butcher thinks David Willey’s display in England’s latest T20I victory over West Indies has boosted his chances of making their World Cup squad.

Just two days after the hosts collapsed to 45 all out, England ripped through their batting order again in just 13 overs to claim an easy eight-wicket win in the final match of the series.

Willey took 4-7 as England bowled the West Indies out for just 71 before the tourists chased down the target in 10.3 overs.

“Willey has done exactly what he would be asked to do if he played in a one-day international,” Butcher told Sky Sports Cricket.

“He’ll take the new ball and probably won’t do anything else – he probably won’t bowl in the middle and he definitely won’t bowl at the end.

“If it swings, he is going to be the guy that gets us three wickets in the powerplay and then the rest of the guys can go to work.”

Butcher, though, reckons Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan could give the other bowlers a run for their money ahead of the summer.

“Archer is the triple threat, which is why he puts all of them [the seamers] under pressure,” added Butcher.

“The preferred usage for Willey is up front, the preferred usage for Liam Plunkett is in the middle and the preferred usage for Tom Curran is at the end.

“All three of those guys have their specialist area but not all areas, which is where Archer comes into play – and where perhaps Jordan comes into play.

“You could throw him the ball in any one of those situations and he is a dynamite fielder as well.

“All of those competing for spots can dong it with the bat at 8, 9 or 10 but with the ball some have more use as a squad player than others.”