Warwickshire batsman Dominic Sibley, who received his maiden Test call-up for the tour of New Zealand, is preparing to open for England with former Surrey team-mate Rory Burns.
The 24-year-old has had a breakout County Championship, scoring 1,324 runs in Division One and facing 3,024 balls so far. That ability to occupy the crease and amass the runs came forth early, when in 2013, he became the youngest player to score a Championship double hundred, at 18.
England’s Under 24 Seven: @Harry_Wisden runs the rule over the next generation.#NZvENGhttps://t.co/gu7zmlFWlS
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 23, 2019
Even national selector Ed Smith has been vocal about Sibley’s talents. “He has a very clear method, he has shown the ability to bat for long periods of time very often, and, most importantly, he has produced a lot of runs. He has that temperament suited to the longer game,” Smith said.
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Sibley, who transferred to Warwickshire from Surrey in 2017, had a mediocre first season for his new side, but soon bounced back to finish the 2018 season with three centuries in four innings, making the necessary technical adjustments to raise his game.
“Batting for long periods of time is what I have done well this year but, to be fair, it’s something I have done since a young age and, hopefully, I can continue to do it,” Sibley told Sky Sports.
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“Last year, I was standing really narrow for a tall lad and was a bit side on, now I have opened up and got a bit wider on my feet. Also mentally – moving away and growing up as a person as well has made a big difference, so a combination of the two.”
Sibley was inspired to be a part of the national set-up after witnessing England’s blockbuster summer, featuring their first World Cup win.
“I came [to Edgbaston] on day five [of the first Ashes Test]. To feel the atmosphere and see the way cricket got so big over the summer during the World Cup and Ashes makes you even more hungry to be part of it,” Sibley, who has scored 12 hundreds and 20 fifties in first-class cricket so far, said.
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Sibley has scored two double centuries in 2019[/caption]
The youngster also admitted that he is looking forward to performing alongside his old Surrey team-mates – Rory Burns and Sam Curran.
“I have played a lot of cricket with Burnsy [Rory Burns] growing up. He has had a really good summer again against the Aussies.
“So to be on tour with a few old friends from Surrey – Sam Curran as well – should be good fun.”
England’s two-Test series against New Zealand will begin on November 21.
