Always thought I had the ability to play for England: Dan Lawrence

London, June 19 (IANS) Young Essex cricketer Dan Lawrence has stated he always had the ability to play for England and he recently made significant inroads towards turning his dream into a reality by getting included into the team’s 30-man training squad ahead of West Indies Test series.

England take on West Indies in a three-Test series next month and the series will mark the resumption of cricket after the sport was stopped in March due to coronavirus pandemic.

Lawrence, who has featured in 70 first class matches so far, is yet to make his debut for England. He has so far scored 3804 runs, including 17 fifties and 10 centuries.

“The way I play has always come completely naturally. My old man is the groundsman at Chingford Cricket Club, so I grew up in the nets there and built up my own method — and that’s the thing: I’ve always wanted to stay true to the way I play,” Lawrence was quoted as saying by Daily Mail.

“If there’s a ball there to be hit and I get out hitting it, then I will still continue to be aggressive. I just had to sort out the fundamentals of my game — which I feel I’ve done now — and I hope to score a load of runs.”

Lawrence feels he is ready to break into the England team after making significant changes to his batting in recent times. During England Lions’ tour of Australia last winter, Lawrence scored 367 runs at an average of 122.

“I feel my game is in a really good place and I’m thankful I made the changes I did at the end of last season,” Lawrence said.

“To do that was a bit gutsy at the time but I’m now capable of getting the runs I knew I should have been making.

“Without blowing my own trumpet, I’ve never really doubted myself. I always thought I had the ability to play for England,” he added.

The first Test is slated to be played at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton (July 8-12) with the second and third matches at Old Trafford in Manchester from July 16-20 and then July 24-28.

–IANS

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