LONDON, CMC – Sussex captain Ed Joyce says Barbadian seamer Chris Jordan is ready for Test cricket and is pushing for him to be included in the England squad for July’s start of the India series.
The 25-year-old Jordan, who played first class cricket up to last year for Barbados, has already turned out for England in seven One-Day Internationals and six Twenty20 Internationals.
However, after inspired spells for Sussex in their opening County game against Warwickshire this week, Joyce believes the time is right to call up the right-armer for the longer form of the game.
“That’s the best I have actually seen him bowl for us, which is huge credit considering how well he bowled for us last year,” Joyce said following Sussex’s seven-wicket win at Edgbaston on Wednesday.
“He is ready for Test cricket and now is the time to get him in – when he is performing so confidently. He would be a massive loss for us because he gives us something different in our attack, being able to bowl 90 miles an hour and change games.”
Joyce was referring to Jordan’s devastating new ball spell on the opening day of the game last Sunday, when he claimed the first three wickets – including Test batsman Ian Bell for a four-ball ‘duck’ – to leave Warwickshire reeling on 20 for three.
They never recovered from Jordan’s spell and were all out for 87.In the second innings, Jordan was on top of his game again, reducing the hosts to 49 for three after getting opener Laurie Evans and England batsman Jonathan Trott, cheaply.
Warwickshire, though, went on to pile up 471, behind Bell’s 189 not out.
England welcome India to Trent Bridge for the opening Test of the five-match series on July 9th and Joyce believes Jordan will have more chances to impress selectors before then.
“When top-quality players have such huge motivation they generally come through for you. Chris has got a couple more games for us now, and then hopefully he gets picked,” Joyce said.
Jordan is a well built six-footer who bowls at pace, and is also a handy lower order batsman with six first class half-centuries.
He played in the recent Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh and was also part of the limited overs squad that toured the Caribbean earlier this year.
