Joyce gives England selectors a nudge (From The Argus)

Joyce gives England selectors a nudge

7:00am Monday 6th July 2009

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Ed Joyce hopes his one-day career-best can revive his England career after guiding Sussex to their tenth Lord’s final.

The 30-year-old opener scored 146 – his third hundred of the season in the Friends Provident Trophy – as the Sharks beat Gloucestershire Gladiators by 34 runs in yesterday’s semi-final in front of 6,500 fans at Hove.

They will now face Hampshire Hawks in the final on Saturday, July 25.

Joyce, has played 17 one-day internationals but none since the 2007 World Cup. He said: “All I can do is keep stacking up the scores and hope people are watching.

“I haven’t heard from any selectors and I wasn’t involved with the England Lions last week which was disappointing but if I keep scoring runs hopefully I will get another chance.”

Sussex racked up 326-7 – their highest one-day total at Hove – before dismissing the Gladiators for 292 in 48.3 overs, skipper Mike Yardy taking 4-54.

Joyce was also involved in another key moment although he was relieved when his throw helped run out Hamish Marshall after he had put on 155 in 25 overs with Alex Gidman.

He added: “Although the fielding was good the throw was poor. The boys were sure he was out and fortunately he was but I was really annoyed with myself.

“Marshall and Gidman looked as if they had the game won at that stage but they always needed six-and-a-half runs an over and you know in those circumstances that if you can get a wicket it will be very different. Fortunately we kept doing that after getting Marshall out.”

Yardy was part of the Sussex team who beat Lancashire on their last visit to Lord’s in 2006 and he hailed “a top class” innings by Joyce.

He said: “We lost our first two games in this competition but we felt if we could get a run together we could go a long way.

“It was a fantastic day and Ed Joyce played one of the best one-day innings from a Sussex batsman for many years. It was a top hundred and was something to really cherish.

“We could have got a few more runs if we’d been greedy. But you know that here if teams don’t lose wickets they are going to give themselves a chance because of the nature of the wicket and the quick outfield.

“We had similar games against Surrey and Durham and knew that if we hung in there we’d get opportunities. Yasir Arafat bowled well and all the spinners did their job and I was pleased to get wickets at the end because I didn’t bowl that well in my first spell.

“It’s great to get to Lord’s which is something to look forward too. Hampshire are a good one-day side and we need to respect them but if the guys produce performances in the final we’ve got a great chance of lifting the trophy.”

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