England call unknown Batty

Published December 9, 2002

SYDNEY, Dec 8: England have called uncapped Gareth Batty into their one-day squad ahead of test spinner Richard Dawson after all-rounder Jeremy Snape was ruled out for three weeks with a broken thumb, the team announced on Sunday.

Worcestershire off-spinner Batty, 25, has been based in Adelaide, South Australia with the England academy squad.

He will join England in Canberra on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s game at Manuka Oval against the Prime Minister’s XI, England spokesman David Clarke said.

Dawson, 22, has played five Tests including the third Test earlier this month in Perth against Australia, but is uncapped in limited overs internationals. He will join the academy squad for two matches in Canberra next week, Clarke said.

Snape broke his thumb while batting against New South Wales in a one-day match in Sydney on Friday.

England play Australia A in Sydney on Sunday before heading to Canberra to face the Prime Minister’s X1.—Reuters