SA v ENG 2020: Sam Billings says "England, one of the hardest sports teams to get into in the world"

Billings has only played 21 ODIs and 30 T20Is despite being the around set-up for a while.

By Kashish Chadha - 22 Nov, 2020

England's depth of talent in white-ball cricket led Sam Billings to describe the Eoin Morgan-led side as "one of the hardest sports teams to get into" at the moment. Billings' comment came despite making a promising start to his South African tour with a fifty in the intra-squad warm-up match in Cape Town. 

The right-handed batsman has been an inconsistent part of England's white-ball line-ups. However, at the back half of the home summer, he scored one of the finest ODI centuries in a losing cause versus Australia to press forward his case. Through the face-off with the South Africans, he is also eyeing a regular middle-order spot in the T20I side. 

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"This is one of the hardest sports teams to get into in the world at the moment," he told the Press Association. "The depth we've got - batting and bowling - is phenomenal."

"As an individual, you just need to take the opportunities when you get them. It's a seriously good side to get into. You've got to keep moving forward as individuals and as a team, to get better and better."

"I did that in the summer and I'm looking forward to doing it again in the winter. That's all you can do really. Anyone who rests on their laurels, there's someone behind them wanting that position. That's where the intensity comes from. Internal competition is fantastic for any team and squad," Billings added. 

With most of England's first-choice Test players resting, Billings played four of the six T20Is during the summer. But he knows, the competition for places is such that he can never rest on his laurels, especially as a batsman of Joe Root's pedigree is considered dispensable to England's cause. 

Root top-scored for England with a 77 and stitched a 100-run stand with Billings in the practise game, but is set to warm the benches next Friday (November 27) when the T20I series begins. He would also most probably also not be there when England look to reclaim the T20 World Cup crown next year in India.

"In terms of reading a wicket there's not many people better to have at the other end than Joe Root," Billings said.

"It's always great to bat with someone like that, who thinks about the game, thinks about conditions. To go at a run-a-ball for 70-odd shows what a thinking cricketer he is and the ability to execute that as well is a pretty good skill to have."

"The T20s might not be 200 plays 200 every single game. The guys who adapt quickest have the most success," he added. 

(Inputs from ESPNcricinfo)

By Kashish Chadha - 22 Nov, 2020

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