GREGORY RELISHING NORTH V SOUTH SERIES Somerset all-rounder Lewis Gregory hopes that playing in the inaugural North v South series in the United Arab Emirates will help propel him into contention for a place in England’s ICC Champions Trophy squad. Gregory is one of seven England-qualified players who secured automatic selection for the three-match series as a result of his performances in last season’s Professional Cricketers’ Association Most Valuable Player Rankings for the Royal London One-Day Cup. This is the first time that the enhanced PCA MVP Rankings have been used as part of the selection process. With the Champions Trophy this summer and a home World Cup in 2019, Andrew Strauss, the ECB’s Managing Director of England Cricket, is seeking to identify the best players outside the current England set up. The PCA MVP Rankings, which were introduced in 2007, identify the match winners and key influencers of matches by using a formula that measures each player’s total contribution by taking into account conditions, quality of opposition, captaincy, strike rates as well as runs scored and wickets taken. Gregory will line up in the South side alongside his county team mate Tim Groenewald and Hampshire all-rounder Liam Dawson. Northamptonshire pair Ben Duckett – winner of both the NatWest PCA Player and Young Player of the Year Awards last year – and Graeme White, Nottinghamshire left-arm seamer Harry Gurney and Yorkshire all-rounder Tim Bresnan qualified through the PCA MVP Rankings for the North side. The two sides will be involved in warm-up matches in Dubai on March 15 ahead of the first two North v South matches in Dubai on March 17 and 19. The finale will be played in Abu Dhabi on March 21. England head coach Trevor Bayliss will attend all three matches with his assistant Paul Farbrace coaching the South and fast bowling coach Ottis Gibson in charge of the North. ” I think it’s a really good initiative. It’s something different and the people who have gone out and performed in 50-over cricket are getting a chance to show the England selectors what they can do,” said Gregory. ” It’ll be good competition with the guys they’ve picked in the squad – there’s going to be a high standard of cricket. It’s about putting yourself in the shop window. Some of the England boys will be there and it’ll be a good challenge to play with and against them.” Gregory, 24, has already represented England Lions and will face strong competition with Steven Finn and Mark Wood both included in the North v South series along with eight players from the recent Lions tour to Sri Lanka also in action. ” Obviously, everyone has aspirations to play for England and it’s a great opportunity to show what you’re all about,” Gregory said. ” I grew up as a kid wanting to play for my country – that’s still there and that’ll never change. It’s a good chance to show what I’m about and who knows where it can go if you do well.” Squads for North versus South series: North: Keaton Jennings (Durham, capt), Ben Duckett (Northamptonshire*), Sam Hain (Warwickshire), Joe Clarke (Worcestershire, wk), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Jack Leaning (Yorkshire Vikings), Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire Vikings*), Josh Poysden (Warwickshire), Graeme White (Northamptonshire*), Mark Wood (Durham), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Paul Coughlin (Durham), Harry Gurney (Nottinghamshire*). South: James Vince (Hampshire, capt), Daniel Bell-Drummond (Kent), Tom Alsop (Hampshire), Dawid Malan (Middlesex), Sam Northeast (Kent), Liam Dawson (Hampshire*), Ben Foakes (Surrey, wk), Tom Curran (Surrey), Lewis Gregory (Somerset*), Tim Groenewald (Somerset*), Toby Roland-Jones (Middlesex), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Mason Crane (Hampshire). * – automatic selection through position in Professional Cricketers’ Association’s Most Valuable Player rankings for the 2016 Royal London One-Day Cup.
