Foakes relishes Lions' exposure

By Paul Hiscock

Although England Lions lost all six of their seven one-day matches on the recent trip to Australia, including a 4-0 hitewash by the hosts A team, for wicket-keeper Ben Foakes the tour represented the next step in the development of  a burgeoning career.
 
The 20-year-old received glowing reports for the standard of his keeping on the trip and provided him with some solace. He said: “Results-wise it wasn’t a successful trip but I was pleased with my performances. The team did their best but we came up a bit short against what was a very good side. 

“I learned a lot from the trip that I’ll take into our domestic season and so personally it was a good tour and a great experience.”
 
Foakes had visited Australia last year in the ICC Under-19 World Cup but admitted that his return trip as a member of the Lions was an altogether tougher challenge.
 
“It was another step up to be playing with, and against, some superb players,” he said. “To be able to play such a lot of one-day cricket at that level and work and receive advice from people like Graham Thorpe and Mark Ramprakash was very beneficial."
 
The Colchester-born keeper, who has only played five first-class matches, is so highly-rated that Essex allowed Adam Wheater to join Hampshire last week leaving Foakes to provide cover for James Foster.
 
Not that the latest product from the famed Essex Academy sees himself stepping into Foster’s shoes just yet. “Fozzy sets the standard and he’s still at the very top of his game,” Foakes acknowledged. “Realistically, I’ll be trying to win my place in the first team as a batsman because I don’t think I’ll be challenging him for a while for the gloves yet but if the opportunity does arise to deputise for any reason then I’ll be ready.”
 

Date: 07/03/2013 18:53:06 by Paul Hiscock
In: Today | Essex | England |