Tymal Mills has got a big summer in front of him.
The T20 Vitality Blast, The Hundred and up to six T20 internationals for England, and then there’s the T20 World Cup in Australia to follow. And with a fair wind he will be spearheading England’s bowling attack for the trophy that has so far eluded this golden generation. But the 29-year-old knows better than most that five months is a heck of a long time in cricket, and getting there fit and firing will take some supreme managing.
Mills has had the full spectrum of fast bowler’s injuries from stress fractures of the back to ankle to thigh injuries. But when it comes to offering a ‘point of difference’ Mills is a double threat with his left arm angle and his ability to bowl extreme pace in the missing Jofra Archer bracket. So as he prepares to take on Glamorgan on Thursday, he is one of the most important players Eoin Morgan and new coach Matthew Mott could have at their disposal later this year.
“I’m feeling good, but I’ve been there with those injuries,” admits Mills. “It is no fun sitting out with a stress fracture and I feel for Jofra big time. I’d love to be out there bowling with him for Sussex or England, but that will have to wait. He will come back I’m sure, as I did, but it will just take some time.
“I’m 29 now and my body has been through it, but actually over the last 12 months I’ve played a lot of cricket. The most I’ve managed, and that has been down to some great support. The guys at the Perth Scorchers and Mumbai Indians really helped look after me and Sussex have always been brilliant, so it is about communicating and listening to the body.”
It has been a pretty decent 12 months for Mills too, helping Sussex reach T20 finals day and taking home the inaugural Hundred trophy with the Southern Brave, before adding the Big Bash title with the Scorchers too.
In between he earned his recall to the England side after four and a half years out and was a dominant figure right up until a thigh injury ruled him out of the T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand, and who knows how things might have turned out had he played. Mills is not centrally contracted, but England and MD Rob Key are well aware of his value in their hunt for more silverware this year.
“To miss out in the biggest game of the lot was hard to take, but it makes me determined to play as many games as I can for England in the future,” adds Mills. I’ve got to keep performing to get those opportunities and to be given that trust to look after the body and that starts with Sussex in the Blast.
“We’ve lost a couple of players like Phil Salt and Chris Jordan but we’re a decent side that set high expectations. We take T20 cricket very seriously and have the players to build on last year.”
