Joe Denly, England batsman, World Cup 2019 Player Full Profile: Unlikely to find spot in playing XI, Denly will eye lucky break

Joe Denly has been one of the names that has been mentioned every time someone wants to replace a member of the current England team for over a decade, but having had a short stint in the national team’s limited overs side in 2009-2010 he may well have thought his chances of a recall were slim. But consistent runs for Kent throughout 2018 as the team made it to the one-day final and promotion to the first division of the County Championship saw a call up for England’s winter tours and him win the Professional Cricketers Association’s player of the year award. [caption id=“attachment_6324511” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Joe Denly. Reuters[/caption] Denly’s previous run in the England team was brought to an end just before the 2010 World T20, a tournament that England would go on and win. England played a game against England Lions in the UAE. The full England team had Denly and Jonathan Trott as openers. The Lions had Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb at the top of the order. Lumb made 58 (35), Kieswetter made 81 (66). England saw a new way to go and Denly never got another chance. Now he is back but he is still yet to fire on all cylinders for the national team in this current spell with the squad. A 69 in a Test against the West Indies has been his best effort since his return, and with the likes of Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali ahead of him in the pecking order it may be that he carries the drinks during this World Cup. Some have even mentioned that it could be Denly that makes way for Jofra Archer when he gets a call up to this squad which now seems inevitable. For all the latest news, opinions and analysis from ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, click here