England fast bowler David Willey will retire from international cricket at the end of the ODI World Cup as he admits he ‘never wanted this day to come’ after being overlooked for ECB’s central contracts
- David Willey announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday
- The England fast bowler won the T20 World Cup last year
- Willey said his decision wasn’t related to England’s dismal ODI World Cup
England all-rounder David Willey today announced he would retire from international cricket, ‘with great regret’ at the end of the World Cup after he was passed over for one of the ECB’s new set of central contracts.
Willey has been one of the few England players to emerge from any credit during their shambolic title defence, and on Sunday in Lucknow inflicted a nine-ball duck on Indian star Virat Kohli.
But Rob Key, the ECB’s managing director of men’s cricket, admitted last week that Willey ‘wasn’t best pleased’ to have been the only member of the 15-man World Cup squad not to be awarded even a one-year contract.
Worse, as far as Willey was concerned, was the fact that a further 15 England players not currently in India also earned deals, leaving him on the outer at the age of 33.
It seems he will now commit to seeing out his career with his native Northamptonshire, whom he rejoined last year after seven seasons at Yorkshire, and on the global T20 franchise circuit.
England fast bowler David Willey has announced his retirement from international cricket
Willey said his decision wasn’t related to England’s dismal ODI World Cup
‘I never wanted this day to come,’ he wrote on Instagram. ‘From a young boy, I’ve only ever dreamed of playing cricket for England.
‘So, with careful thought and consideration, it is with great regret that I feel the time has come for me to retire from all forms of international cricket at the end of the World Cup.’
He added: ‘I feel I still have a lot more to give on and off the field while I am still playing my best cricket, and my decision has nothing to do with our performance during the World Cup.’
Willey’s decision to go public while England still have three games to play at the World Cup – starting with Saturday’s showdown with Australia in Ahmedabad – could hardly be worse timing for the management.
With coach Matthew Mott and captain Jos Buttler already under pressure after overseeing just one victory in six games, the news looks like another example of the dysfunctionality that has hampered England’s tournament at almost every turn.
The 33-year-old was part of the England team that won the T20 World Cup last year
And it raises questions about the wisdom of excluding Willey from the new multi-year contract deals which were supposed to dissuade players from throwing their lot in with the franchise world.
It’s not the first time Willey – who has played 70 ODIs and 43 T20s since his international debut in 2015 – has felt aggrieved by his treatment at the hands of the management.
In 2019, he missed out on England’s World Cup squad at the last minute after the introduction of Jofra Archer, though few could argue that was a mistake.
Willey signed off his Instagram statement by insisting he remained available for England’s last three games of the tournament.
‘I am sure everybody who knows me does not doubt that, whatever my involvement in the remainder of this campaign, I will give everything and more!’ he wrote. ‘That’s the only way I know.’
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