Foakes not convinced about World Cup Spot despite Match Winning Innings

Ben Foakes is still not convinced about gaining a spot in the England One Day side for the World Cup despite a man of the match performance on One Day International Debut against Ireland in Malahide. Foakes scored 61 not out in a tense and nervy run chase for the World Number 1 team as they needed all of their resources to secure a four wicket win.

When Foakes was asked whether he thought he might get into the regular One-Day side for the World Cup, his answer was simple. “Probably not. With Jos, he is probably the best keeper in the world and Jonny who is probably second. The keeper demand is quite ridiculous. It’s been great and something I didn’t expect to get a game and I was delighted that I got a game.

Foakes, who also performed superbly on Test Debut, said “when you lose that many wickets early, you know you just have to stick in. There was a touch of nerves but we new the job that was on hand.” The Surrey keeper came to the crease with England 62-4, something that quickly became 66-5 while he was at the crease. At that stage, 199 was a long way away.

However, Foakes, who is known for his cool head in such situations always remained confident at the crease. “There was never a stage where it was going to get out of hand, guys like Murtagh were very tough work to get away on this wicket. It was a challenge to just see them off and try not to get out. When the quick bowlers came back on, we knew we’d get more value and that’s what we did.”

It wasn’t easy going for the English in the run chase, struggling to adapt to the slow Malahide surface in their quest for what seemed a below par Irish score. Foakes, who is used to playing on lush surfaces at the Oval week on week, also had to adapt early to survive. This caused him to bat very slowly and watchfully in the early parts. “At the Oval, you tend to play on a green wicket but there is a lot of pace in it so there is loads of value for your runs. As for here, with a wet outfield, slow pitch that didn’t come on, it was tough, tough to get anything away. It really was a grind.”

In the first innings in the field, Foakes came under close observation after a slightly controversial stumping decision was given in his favour to dismiss the well poised Andrew Balbirnie. Foakes was seen to delay taking the bails off, before whipping them off when some might have argued that the ball was dead. “I saw it as being wide down the leg side, got back to the stumps and sometimes when guys sweep they lose their balance. I saw him just lift his foot and I knocked them off.”

Foakes was one of three debutantes for the English side, alongside Dawid Malan and recently qualified Jofra Archer. Archer, who has been the subject of major media attention, took his maiden One Day wicket when dismantling Mark Adair’s off stump, when the Irish debutante was set on 32. Foakes said: “Yeah Jofra just ambles in so you don’t think he’s going to bowl too fast. Yet, it’s suddenly in your gloves before you’ve really seen it. It’s unexpected pace.”