Cricket: Moody tops Solanki for England

Worcestershire director of cricket Tom Moody is optimistic that England opportunities could soon come knocking again for batsman Vikram Solanki - if he is able to produce his best form consistently.

Solanki has always been regarded as one of Worcestershire's most exciting prospects, who can destroy any attack in the country when on song.

Solanki had an excellent time in limited-overs cricket last season but what has been missing from his performances, certainly in the four-day game, has been an ability to perform week in and week out.

He managed just 678 championship runs at an average of 26 in 2001 and last season brought him only a marginally better return of 832 at 41.

In 49 championship innings during that period, Solanki managed only four hundreds plus six half-centuries.

But Solanki, who made a handful of one-day appearances for England at the start of the decade, is determined to rectify those figures and has been working flat out since the end of last season to try and rectify any faults.

And, with a new era in English cricket dawning via new one-day skipper Michael Vaughan, Moody believes Solanki can force his way back on to the international stage.

His early-season form has been encouraging although his only really major score was a limited-overs best against the county's Board XI in the C&G Trophy when he amassed an unbeaten 164.

Moody told the Press Association: "Vikram has been working very hard on his game. He went to Melbourne to do some work this winter and also worked really hard when he came back here.

"He is very keen to have a good first-class season and to continue to build on his one-day form. He had an excellent one-day season in 2002.

"He also realises that if he does start to put it all together then there could be other doors and opportunities that open for him on the England front.

"He has put the hard work in and let's hope it pays off for him."

Moody has a lot of faith in Solanki, whom he was playing alongside when he made his county debut in the mid 1990s, but knows that the potential has to be fully realised.

He said: "Potential can take you so far. It is a wonderful word. But it doesn't win you cricket matches and it doesn't give you consistency at the top level.

"Vikram has done the hard work and when you combine hard work with potential you then get what we are all after - and that's consistency of performance.

"He is hungry and hopefully those big scores will consistently be around the corner and then those 30s, 40s and 50s become 100-plus scores."

Thay have to push the talent through,it does make me annoyed that they are not getting them in fast enough...I know you have to have a good blend of young and old(experienced), But that is how you fall behind these other teams by not getting them in ...