BEN Cox is ‘entitled to feel aggrieved’ about not being selected in the revised England one-day squad to tackle Pakistan.
That’s the view of the club’s Cricket Steering Group Chairman Paul Pridgeon who launched an astonishing personal attack on ECB selectors ahead of the ODI and T20 series against Pakistan which kicks off today (Thursday).
England announced a new party of players and officials for the three ODIs, and three T20Is after three players and four management team members from the original squad tested positive for COVID-19.
Middlesex stumper John Simpson is likely to keep wicket in the series and Pridgeon ‘cannot understand’ why the 29-year-old Pears ace has been overlooked.
“This is a purely personal observation, but I simply cannot see how Ben Cox does not get a gig in the new England squad,” he said.
“I suppose you could say from the club’s point of view, it is a bonus because it means Ben will be playing for us as our captain at a vital part of the season in the Vitality Blast group stages.
“But we want our players to be selected for England if it is merited, and I simply do not understand how he has not been selected in the revamped squad for the ODIs and T20Is against Pakistan.
“Of course, selection is an individual thing which we all see differently, and I fully respect the opinion of Chris Silverwood and all the people who select the squads.
“But on this occasion, if I were Ben Cox, I would feel massively aggrieved at not having been selected.
“He has been an outstanding keeper for many years now, a very consistent keeper at a high standard who also makes runs, and this would have been an opportunity to recognise that.”
“He is 29, has more than a decade of first-team cricket behind him, is in his prime and got a shot with the Lions last year in Australia,” Pridgeon added.
Today’s (Thursday) clash at Sophia Gardens is followed by games at Lord’s on Saturday (July 10) and Edgbaston on Tuesday (July 13).
England then face three Twenty20 fixtures against Pakistan on July 16, 18 and 20.