Lashings Scholar Joseph named in England Performance Squad
[This article first appeared in the Antigua Sun, 1/10/08]
Antigua and Barbuda's fast bowler Robert "Robbie" Joseph has been named in England's 15-man performance squad on Monday to shadow the Test tour of India.
Born in Antigua, where he represented the island at the Under-13 and Under-15 level, Joseph made his debut for Kent at the end of the 2005 season, having been cleared to play for them in April 2004.
He had previously served a residential qualification period having come over on the Richie Richardson and Lashings scholarship to Sutton Valence School.
Joseph struggled to make an impression early on, but during the 2008 season something clicked. He went on a wicket-taking spree during mid-season - claiming 17 wickets in two championship games - as well as hauls in one-day cricket. Joseph claimed 70 scalps and has been hailed as an exciting emerging quick bowler by cricket writers and pundits.
It was enough to earn him a call-up to the England Performance Squad for the tour of India.
The 26-year-old Joseph, who is from the village of New Winthorpes and the cousin of West Indies batsman Sylvester "Bouncing" Joseph, is one of four Kent players named in the England Performance squad to tour India this winter.
The others are Kent skipper Rob Key, who is likely to lead the side, batsman Joe Denly and fast bowler Amjad Khan.
Denly, despite registering the highest number of ducks this season with eight, has been rewarded with a place after scoring almost 900 first class runs again this summer.
Khan completes his comeback from an injury that curtailed his career for 18 months, with inclusion in the squad.
ECB performance director David Parsons said: "This winter's programme, both at the National Cricket Performance Centre and on tour in India, is designed to help us identify those players who can perform successfully for England at international level.
"Touring India will provide the players with an opportunity to learn more about the challenges of playing on the subcontinent as well as providing our Test and one-day squads with standby players in case of injury."
Team: Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire), Mark Davies (Durham), Steven Davies (Worcestershire), Joe Denly (Kent), Robbie Joseph (Kent), Robert Key (Kent), Amjad Khan (Kent), Sajid Mahmood (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Middlesex), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Stephen Moore (Worcestershire), Liam Plunkett (Durham), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Ollie Rayner (Sussex) and Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire).
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