Dubai [UAE]: Despite rescuing England in its only ODI against Ireland, wicket-keeper batsman Ben Foakes believes he cannot break into the team considering Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow are world’s first and second best glovemen.
“Can I break into the team? Probably not. Jos is probably the best ‘keeper-batsman in the world and Jonny is probably second, if not first. It is ridiculous. So just to get the game has been great. It is something I did not expect. I did not really think I had made my debut,” ICC quoted Foakes, as saying.
Foakes was called up for the series only because Sam Billings was dropped due to an injury, Buttler and Bairstow were given rest after their performances at the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The 26-year-old came in at number six when England were 101/6 while chasing Ireland’s 198 runs and completed a four-wicket win. Foakes (61*) along with Tom Curran (47*) added 98 for an unbeaten seventh-wicket stand.
“It was a bit of a grind. It was a rebuilding job. It suited my game. I could get my head down and fight it out a bit. They were tricky conditions – it was nipping about a bit – so with their bowlers, we had to stick in and take what was on offer. Because we bowled so well and restricted them to less than 200, the run-rate never got beyond us,” Foakes said.
Captain Eoin Morgan, who was pleased by Foakes’ performance, said, “I knew it would be challenging at stages but the bowlers did a great job. Three or four of us batted poorly but Ben Foakes batted superbly on debut and he and Tom Curran got us over the line. We found a way to win today, which is nice.”
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]