As Sussex romped home in the NatWest t20 Blast against Glamorgan on Friday, Luke Wright was once again in the newspapers and on the lips of cricket enthusiasts, across the country. An unbeaten 46-ball 92 by the skipper propelled the Sharks to within touching distance of the quarter-finals for the first time since 2012. This took Wright’s T20 run tally to 522 – the third highest in this year’s tournament – at a very commendable strike rate of 172, the largest out of those who have scored 350 runs. With the Royal London One Day Cup just around the corner, it means more runs are on offer for a man who is well and truly showing his side how to do things.
It’s fair to say Luke Wright is in the form of his life, but it hasn’t just been a happy-go-lucky effort in the Blast. Since the start of the 2013 season Wright has hit 13 hundreds in all competitions, seven of which having come in one day cricket. He is one of the most talked-about cricketers in terms of gaining an England spot. However, despite all the hard work getting another chance at the 50 over game at national level, it seems that this has been just another disappointing step backwards.
After breaking back into the England ODI side in late 2013, Wright experienced a torrid time against Australia and the West Indies where, in seven innings, he failed to make double figures. He was a man out of form, unable to hit bat on ball and even got a grilling from the Barmy Army, as he hitched a ride to the team hotel in Antigua. Wright expressed that it was “the most frustrated I’ve ever been in my career”, when he failed to convert his good domestic tally into international runs. A T20 whitewash in Australia (and a Test one, of course) had England fans sharpening their pitchforks, and when Wright scored eight runs in four innings in the Caribbean, it was obvious that something needed to be done. However, he was given the chance to redeem himself when he was selected in the World T20 squad, but Wright’s luck was out and a side strain forced him from the competition.
As a result, this was last time he was chosen for England.
Since then though, Wright has been dismantling bowling attacks from all corners of the country and whilst not everyone has been calling for him like they did when Andrew Flintoff retired and England needed a new all-rounder, he is certainly in most conversations that discuss the dilemma of who should play in the T20 side.
Whilst Wright has done nothing to hurt his chances of a call up, England have seemingly taken no notice. Last July, he led a then world record T20 chase, scoring 153* off 66 balls, as Sussex took out Essex, successfully hunting down 226. Six weeks later however, he was overlooked as opener for England, as Roy made his international bow against India. England also called up five uncapped players for the recent T20 against New Zealand. Among them were James Vince, Sam Billings and David Willey, all powerful hitters of the ball that could add quick runs and make large scores. This ostensibly showed that England are looking for new blood rather than delving into the past.
Many will look at Wright’s current form and appear bemused as to why he has not been selected for England recently, but exploring deeper you see a problem that would cause Wright’s selection to be viewed as a risk by many. In 50 ODIs and 51 T20s the man with a reputation for run scoring averages 20 and 19 respectively. Compare that with someone like Alex Hales- England’s current opener. He averages a slightly better 25 in much fewer ODIs but a very creditable 37 in T20 internationals. Luke Wright advocates will suggest that it is about current form but, while this is exceedingly important, the stats show a lack of consistency and ultimately personal success at international level.
Now, more than ever though, the English selectors need to look thoroughly at cases made for certain players. The World T20 starts in March 2016, and to avoid an embarrassing exit like last edition, the squad has to be filled with both experience and talent. England will need players that have had a taste of subcontinent pitches and conditions, something that Luke Wright has. He was part of the squad and arguably England’s best player in the 2012 tournament in Sri Lanka and has played for Pune Warriors in the IPL. As well as this, he has had a taste for pressure situations and has held aloft England’s only global trophy won: the 2010 World T20. If England are going to stand any chance in this upcoming tournament, experienced and run-scoring players must be picked.
The Luke Wright predicament may not be as black and white as you think at first, but it is certainly a hot topic and one that should not be just swept under the carpet. Rather, it should be faced head on with the interests of England T20 cricket at heart. Luke Wright has not been at his best when he has played for England- that much is clear. However, a player in the form of his life, he is joint third on the list of the most T20 hundreds. This shows a clear talent. He’s played in 226 matches- 8th on the all-time list, showing a great level of experience. Whilst the selectors may be wholly against his return or are thinking over the dilemma, one thing is for sure: as long as Luke Wright is scoring runs, the debate won’t go away.
