Barbados-born Jordan eyeing big impact at T20 World Cup

LONDON (CMC):

BARBADOS-BORN ENGLAND all-rounder Chris Jordan said he remained pragmatic about his selection for the Twenty20 World Cup, and was now looking forward to playing at a familiar Kensington Oval during next month’s showpiece.

The 35-year-old, a shrewd seamer, useful lower-order batsman and sharp slip-catcher, was recently named in England’s 15-man squad for the June 1-29 campaign in the Caribbean and the United States, despite not having played an international in nearly eight months.

Despite his absence from the England squad, Jordan has remained one of the most sought-after players in the franchise T20 format circuit, having taken 368 wickets from 355 appearances.

“I wasn’t expecting the call but I never ruled it out either,” Jordan was quoted as saying.

“I had good communication with the hierarchy and they suggested they would look at franchise form. In terms of batting, the penny drops with different people at different times, I guess.

“Down the order can be hit or miss but I have started to manage my expectations on what a good knock looks like and play the situation.

“I keep my breathing under control and nice and rhythmic, and also I do my homework on opposition.”

Jordan, who grew up in Barbados and played a handful of first-class games for the island, will bring not only experience but a knowledge of conditions during the tournament.

The defending champions in the format, England will play the first two of their Group B first-round matches at Kensington Oval – the opening game against Namibia and the second, a box-office clash against perennial rivals Australia.

And with the final also being staged at the storied venue, Jordan’s experience and knowledge could be worth its weight in gold.

“The Kensington Oval has a special place in my heart,” explained Jordan, who will be accompanied in the squad by another Barbados-born speedster Jofra Archer.

“Growing up at school we used to play finals there and it’s where I watched my first-ever cricket match. It was West Indies versus England, I was maybe five and I remember the atmosphere vividly, the vibe that first morning, the conch shells blowing …”

He added: “We’ll definitely bring that knowledge of conditions. Understanding the cross winds is one example – that’s pretty unique to the Caribbean.

“It’s trying to be smart with it, not get carried away, especially during the day games as it can often drop at night.”

Jordan, a member of England’s title-winning side in 2022, said England needed to bring a higher level of intensity than the 19 other teams if they were to repeat as champions.

“We are defending champions, so it’s important to understand we will be hunted – 100 per cent – so we must match or surpass the other teams’ intensity,” he warned.

“But check it out, the last three T20 World Cups we’ve been finalists, semi-finalists and champions, so our pedigree in this format is pretty strong.”