Cricket

Rob Key backs promotion for ‘rare talent’ as Jamie Smith earns maiden Test call-up

Rob Key, England men’s managing director, says he is picking as much on potential as performance in turning to Jamie Smith and Shoaib Bashir as the Test wicketkeeper and specialist spinner respectively for the upcoming series against West Indies, despite the fact that neither player is a first-choice option for their counties.

Shoaib Bashir enjoyed a breakthrough tour of India this winter•BCCI

Sussex’s Ollie Robinson is another notable absentee from the Test set-up after a lacklustre tour of India. And while Key said he took no notice of the record 43-run over that Robinson served up to Leicestershire’s Louis Kimber last week, he warned that the wealth of fast-bowling options in county cricket – including this week’s new selection, Dillon Pennington, meant that the onus was on Robinson to prove he’s ready to earn a recall.

“Ollie Robinson has got back to his best in the last couple of games, we just need to see that more often. It’s not a time to be taking your foot off the gas at all, because there’s some really good bowlers out there.

“Dillon Pennington probably wasn’t on our radar at all, but I’ve loved watching him bowl this summer. He has that little bit of pace, he’s relentless in his consistency, the angle that he bowls as well. He’s really kicked on this year. And we’ve enjoyed it.”

The Lord’s Test is set to be dominated by the impending retirement of James Anderson, but it will not be the last that the squad will see of him, with Key confirming that he would be staying on for the rest of the summer, in an exploratory mentor role.

“Jimmy will continue in our set-up, and he’ll help as a bit more of a mentor,” key said. “We’re trying to set up an elite coach development programme, which Jimmy wants to do, but we’ll have a look at the end of the summer.

“It might be something that he doesn’t enjoy, or it might be something that he absolutely loves. But he’s got so much to offer English cricket, so we don’t want to see that go. But it is going to be quite an occasion with him bowing out at Lord’s.”

Andrew Miller is UK editor of ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket