YOUNG WRITER: Should England turn to the scrapheap?

MATT ROLLER: As England’s youngsters struggle in T20 internationals, Trevor Bayliss ought to look at the senior side’s discard pile

February 2010. In England’s final game before the World T20, Jonathan Trott and Joe Denly are opening the batting. After Michael Lumb and Craig Kieswetter led the Lions to a surprise victory against the full side days earlier, Trott and Denly need runs to make the final squad. Denly makes five off ten balls, and Pakistan win by four wickets. Denly never plays another IT20 for England.

Since then, Denly has travelled the world playing twenty-over cricket. He has played for two counties, Kent and Middlesex, two Bangladesh Premier League franchises, Barisal Burners and Dhaka Dynamites, a Big Bash side, Sydney Sixers, and Karachi Kings of the Pakistan Super League – for whom he hit a 46-ball 79* in his most recent innings.

He has made over 3,000 runs at an average of 28.73, and demonstrated remarkable consistency given the variation in conditions he has batted in.

And yet, at 32 years old, there is almost no chance that Denly will play for England again.

Three years later, England are playing a bilateral series in New Zealand. After taking the hosts apart in the first game of three, England falter in the second IT20 at Hamilton.

Brendon McCullum smashes 74 off 38 balls, including a huge six down the ground off Samit Patel’s bowling. Patel has a poor day – he concedes 20 runs in his two overs, and makes a seven-ball six in a lacklustre run chase. Patel never plays another IT20 for England.

Since that game, Patel has travelled the world playing twenty-over cricket. He has played for five sides based in five different countries: Nottinghamshire, Wellington Firebirds, the Warriors in South Africa, Rajshahi Kings, and Islamabad United. He has hit 2,183 runs at 27.29 and has taken 109 wickets while conceding just 7.16 runs per over. He has received man-of-the-match awards in finals for performances with the bat, and single-handedly won games with the ball, all around the world.

And yet, at 33 years old, there is almost no chance that Patel will play for England again.

One year on, England are warming up for the 2014 World T20 with a white-ball tour of the West Indies.

After underwhelming with the bat, the tourists need to keep things tight in the middle overs if they are to level the series. Luke Wright – who had earlier faced just five balls coming in down the order – bowls the 15th over, and is slapped for a six and a four off the first two deliveries by Marlon Samuels.

England lose, and the batsman is left out of the squad for the tournament. Wright never plays another IT20 for England. Since then, Wright has travelled the world playing twenty-over cricket. He has played for five teams in five different tournaments: Sussex, Auckland Aces, Melbourne Stars, Quetta Gladiators, and Rajshahi Kings. He has hit over 3,000 runs at an average of 30.73, including five hundreds – in that time, only Michael Klinger and Chris Gayle have hit more. He has single-handedly won games in Australia, the UAE, and England, and forged a reputation as one of the best opening batsmen in world T20.

And yet, at 33 years old, there is almost no chance that Wright will play for England again.

Six months later, in their second game since the debacle of that tournament, England play a meaningless, end-of-season T20 international against India.

Eoin Morgan’s 31-ball 71 leads the home side to 180/7, while Ravi Bopara’s nine-ball 21* proves a useful cameo. In the run chase, England need to stem the run flow after a good powerplay for India. Bopara’s over of medium pace goes for 14, and he is taken out of the attack. It is nine months until England’s next game in the format, and the all-rounder is left out. Bopara never plays another IT20 for England.

Since that game, Bopara has travelled the world playing twenty-over cricket. He has appeared for six different sides – Sunrisers Hyderabad, Essex, Sylhet Superstars, Karachi Kings, Dhaka Dynamites, Rangpur Riders – in four different tournaments. He has scored over 2,000 runs at an average of 27.90, and taken 87 wickets at 22.14, conceding just 7.26 runs per over in the process. He has hit 14 fifties, and taken three or more wickets in an innings nine times. He has impressed all around the world, and played with the stars of the shortest format.

And yet, at 32 years old, there is almost no chance that Bopara will play for England again.

England’s commitment to bringing through young players is admirable. But with an array of discarded talent travelling the world, scoring piles of runs, and taking hatfuls of wickets while the supposed stars of tomorrow flounder in Australia and New Zealand, is it time for Trevor Bayliss and the selectors to turn to experience?

Statistics correct up to and including Pakistan Super League final (25th March)