Jake Ball, having earned an inaugural England Lions callup to cap a memorable 2015 season, is now setting his sights on the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup.
The Nottinghamshire fast bowler is one of six pacemen selected for an England Performance Programme fast bowling camp in South Africa and Dubai in November, before going to the United Arab Emirates with the Lions to face Pakistan A in a five match Twenty20 series in December.
The 24-year-old hopes being familiar with both locations, having toured them with his county on previous occasions, will be an advantage.
“We’re going to Potchefstroom in South Africa, where I went on a bowling camp with Notts a few years ago,” he said.
“I know the facilities out there and the conditions I’m going to be playing in.
“Similarly in Abu Dhabi, we had a bowling camp there last year so again I know the conditions. I’m used to the humidity and the pitches we’ll be playing on.
“Hopefully that familiarity will stand me in good stead for the forthcoming tour.
“I’m looking to put the performances in and see where that takes me,” Ball continued.
“There’s a Twenty20 World Cup coming up so, as long as I do what I know I can do, hopefully I won’t be too far away from that.”
Nottinghamshire Director of Cricket Mick Newell broke the news to Ball of his selection over breakfast in Birmingham yesterday.
The Mansfield born and bred paceman admits it took a while to sink in. When it did, thoughts quickly progressed to donning the three lions and representing his country.
“I found out yesterday morning at breakfast,” said Ball. “Mick pulled me to one side and told me, although I’d only just got out of bed and it didn’t quite sink in.
“We had another chat at the ground, he explained it in a bit more detail and it sank in that I’m going to be on a Lions tour, which is amazing.
“I called my brother first, who was really happy for me, then my parents who were also really chuffed. I’m ready to get going now and really looking forward to it.
“I wasn’t expecting it, but it’s really nice that it has come.
“I spoke to Mick Newell about it a lot, particularly in the last couple of months, asking him what I needed to do to push my way into that team.
“We had a few chats, I knew I wasn’t a million miles off and the performances I’ve put in have been enough to say I’m good enough. Hopefully I can do the same when I have my Lions shirt on.
“Normally I’d be in the gym in Nottingham in November and December.
“To get the opportunity to go away and play in South Africa and Abu Dhabi, it’s going to be really nice.
“It’s come at a really good time for me because I’ve got my game into a good place, I can just keep going and continue with what I’ve been doing this year.”
The five match series against Pakistan will provide Ball with an opportunity to add to his 26 white ball wickets for the Notts Outlaws in 2015, including a man of the match performance of 3-36 bowling at the death in the home NatWest T20 Blast victory over Derbyshire.
Ball revealed that his white ball form has been achieved by sticking to a simple but effective method.
“In Twenty20, in the first two overs you have to hit a really hard length - similar to a four day length, possibly just a little bit shorter - and, at the death, I tend to go yorkers, slower-balls and slower-ball bouncers.
“It’s about trying not to let the batsman second guess what you’re going to do and set a field that allows you to bowl two or three different balls. That’s really important and one thing I did quite well this year.
“I feel like I’ve had a really good white ball season, in Twenty20 and the 50-over competition, so I can’t wait to meet all the lads and get going again this winter.”
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