At least one English cricketer has had a productive trip to Australia this winter - Ian Cockbain Jnr, son of the former Lancashire, Bootle and Formby mainstay, has helped smash the Adelaide Strikers into the play-offs of the T20 Big Bash League.
The Liverpool-born batter, who has played for Gloucestershire since 2010 and is the leading white ball run-scorer in the county’s history, was in the country to play league cricket when he received an unexpected call-up.
Cockbain, who impressed for the Welsh Fire during last year’s Hundred, slotted straight into the Strikers top order. In his franchise T20 debut, he guided the side home against Perth Scorchers with an unbeaten 35 from 24 balls; three days later, he made mincemeat of the Sydney Sixers attack, hitting four sixes and five fours in a match-winning 71* from 42 balls.
That secured the Strikers’ spot in the Eliminator against the Hobart Hurricanes - despite the return of Test players Alex Carey and Travis Head, Cockbain kept his spot for a 22-run which put the side through to Sunday’s Knockout against Sydney Thunder.
“He thought he’d missed his chance to play in the big leagues,” said his proud dad. “But he did OK in the Hundred and this has been great for him - he’s hopeful of getting a contract with them next year for the full tournament.”
Following the Bash, Cockbain is heading to Karachi to join Babar Azam’s Kings side in the Pakistan Super League.
Ian Snr added: “It’s nice he’s been given the chance, because he’s hit the post a number of times. He’s proved he can do it - I was made up for him.”
Thousands of miles away, another player with local connections is making a name for himself - 17-year-old left-arm seamer Josh Boyden, who plays for Wigan in the Love Lane Liverpool Competition, has taken 10 wickets in England’s three group-stage wins at the 50-over U19 World Cup in the West Indies. England will play in the quarter-finals in Antigua on Wednesday.
