| James Anderson has praised England's bold selection | | | | it's been frustrating the last few years. If we play |
| of uncapped Hampshire batsman Michael Lumb for | | | | well we can beat anyone in the world, but if we play |
| the ICC World Twenty20. | | | | badly we get beat by Holland. "We've seen recently |
| Lumb, who is currently playing for Rajasthan Royals | | | | that the players we've got - Morgan, Pietersen, |
| in the Indian Premier League, has been included in the | | | | Collingwood - who are all-match-winners with the bat, |
| 15-man squad for the competition in the West Indies | | | | and we've got bowlers who can compete with |
| which starts late next month. | | | | anyone in the world. "We know what we're capable |
| The left-handed opener has been a consistent | | | | of and on our day we can beat anyone. |
| run-scorer for the Royals, as well as for his county in | | | | Over the last few years we've not been that |
| England's Twenty20 competition. Lancashire pace | | | | consistent. If we can find some consistency in the |
| bowler Anderson, who also features in the squad, | | | | tournament then I'm sure we'll go a long way. "It's |
| played against Lumb during his time at Yorkshire, and | | | | just trying to find that consistency. If we all perform |
| believes the 30-year-old could make an impact at the | | | | well at the same time, we can go a long way in the |
| highest level. "I played quite a lot of second team | | | | tournament." Anderson is set to lead the England |
| cricket against him when he was at Yorkshire, when | | | | attack in the Caribbean after showing no signs of |
| I was starting out, and he looked very talented | | | | discomfort during his rehabilitation from a knee injury |
| then," Anderson told "He has come on leaps and | | | | that saw him rested for the tour of Bangladesh. |
| bounds since then with Hampshire. He's had a great | | | | However, he is aware he needs to be fully fit to be |
| couple of years playing Twenty20. Now he's in the | | | | sure of inclusion in England's group matches against |
| IPL. I saw he got 45 the other day, in which he | | | | West Indies and newcomers Ireland in Guyana on |
| looked very comfortable." | | | | May 3 and 4 respectively. |
| Anderson pinpointed Lumb's well thought-out | | | | "I need to play some cricket to prove my fitness, so |
| approach to batting in the game's shortest form as | | | | hopefully I can get a few games with Lancashire, |
| potentially crucial against the world's best bowlers. | | | | which will be nice, and hopefully the knee can stand |
| "He looks comfortable and confident when he's at | | | | up to it," said the 27-year-old. |
| the crease and he's got a very good gameplan for | | | | "I'd like to play as much as I possibly can before that |
| Twenty20 cricket. It's working for him at the | | | | because I've not played for quite a while. "Firstly, |
| moment," he added. | | | | because it will be a good test for me knee, and, |
| The presence of destructive batsmen such as Lumb | | | | secondly, because I need to get some match |
| - along with the more established names in the | | | | practice. "Hopefully there's enough cricket between |
| England top order - is a cause of optimism for | | | | now and then to get in some form and see if my |
| Anderson ahead of the tournament, which starts on | | | | knee can cope with the stresses of it." |
| April 30. | | | | Buy England cricket tickets throughout the UK and |
| But he has challenged England to improve their | | | | Europe from premierevents.co.uk.Tickets for all |
| consistency if they are to lift a major trophy for the | | | | cricket matches of England are available at |
| first time. "We've got a great chance; I think we've | | | | Premierevents,every England Cricket transaction is |
| got a great chance going into any tournament," | | | | 100% guaranteed to be safe and secure. |
| Anderson said. "We've got a really talented side but | | | | |