Richardson grateful for chance to put his hand up

James Richardson
Richardson

Australia fast bowler Kane Richardson is looking to make the most of an opportunity to play ODI cricket with the World Cup looming.

Richardson has been selected for the ODI tour of England with frontline quicks Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins sidelined with injury.

The paceman feels that the overlapping tours to New Zealand and South Africa earlier this season allowed fringe players to make a case for inclusion in other squads.

The quick told cricket.com.au: “I know people are often quick to criticise the schedule for those clashes, but for someone like me who is on the fringes of the team when they’re full strength it’s an amazing opportunity to know you’re going to get a lot of game time.

“I think the performances of a few people in that series really put them up the pecking order.

“So now going forward whenever the guys are injured you’re around the mark to be ready to play.”

Richardson got a massive career boost days ahead of his wedding when he was awarded a central contract from Cricket Australia.

“I got the contract call the week of the wedding,” he said. “When I saw Trevor Hohns ringing I didn’t understand why he was ringing.

“I thought he got wind of my wedding and wanted to wish me all the best. But he gave me the good news and that was completely unexpected because usually you hear whispers of stuff like that but I didn’t hear anything.”

The 27-year-old feels that he has built himself up as a complete bowler but remains confident of being able to do a job at the death, for so long his bread and butter.

“I think when I was young (death bowling) was how I made a name for myself in domestic cricket and then I got opportunities over in India (in the IPL),” he said.

“I still think that’s something that I’m willing and capable of doing, but there are areas of improvement and there’s so much more to an innings than just closing out at the death.

“I still want to be a consistent bowler who knows which way the ball is swinging and when, a bowler who can put it on a dime from the first spell in the powerplay. That’s what I’m focusing on, but I still think I can execute to a decent degree at the end of the innings.”

Australia Tour of England

June 7: Warm-up v Sussex, Hove (D/N)

June 9: Warm-up v Middlesex, Lord’s

June 13: First ODI, The Oval (D/N)

June 16: Second ODI, Cardiff

June 19: Third ODI, Trent Bridge (D/N)

June 21: Fourth ODI, Durham (D/N)

June 24: Fifth ODI, Old Trafford

June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)