More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Home Canterbury Sport Article
Seam bowler Matt Milnes is looking forward to testing himself with the England Lions.
Milnes is one of three Kent players selected for this month’s tour to Australia.
“It’s a very tough place to go and it’s a chance to test myself,” said Milnes.
“Being with the white-ball squad, I feel like I’m slightly less experienced in that format.
“I see that (being picked in the one-day squad) as quite a good thing because I think I will learn a lot and, hopefully, then I will hit the ground running for Kent this season in white-ball cricket.”
The 25-year-old is in the 50-over squad, while wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson has earned his first call-up for the Lions as part of their 15-man four-day squad.
He has been named in that squad alongside opener Zak Crawley, who is currently with England’s Test side in South Africa.
“I was, obviously, absolutely buzzing when I heard the news,” said Milnes, who joined Kent from Nottinghamshire at the end of the 2018 season.
“Walks (Kent head coach Matt Walker) told me at the end of last season that there was potential for me to be picked.
“But I didn’t really think too much of it then and, obviously as the winter went on, I sort of forgot about it a little bit.
“But I was buzzing to learn the news, it was quite surreal.”
Milnes will hope to be involved when the Lions squad contest five 50-over matches against Cricket Australia and New South Wales.
He enjoyed a productive first campaign with the club and picked up the Bowler of the Year gong.
“I did far better than I ever thought I would do for Kent last year,” he admitted.
“I think, as a bowling unit, we all exceeded our own expectations.
"Hopefully, this tour can put me into a good place, heading into pre-season with Kent.”
Simon Cook has been working with Kent since October as bowling coach and Milnes said: “He has been absolutely brilliant. He’s very organised and I really enjoy working with him.
"I think him and Walksy will be quite a good little duo, actually.”
Milnes and the England squad head Down Under on Tuesday.
