Plunkett rules out US World Cup comeback as Major League Cricket dream gets real
The United States isn't the first place you think of when someone mentions cricket, but Liam Plunkett wants to change that perception this summer.
The former England fast bowler, 37, will star in Major League Cricket this July, a new T20 tournament which is hoping to attract some of the sport's biggest names. Plunkett, who is also Major League Cricket's national development coach, has not played professional cricket for nearly two years but is relishing the chance to test himself against the best.
"I still feel, for my age, I'm one of the fittest around," Plunkett tells Mirror Sport. "Obviously the last year or so has been Minor League Cricket, but now it's building up to proper cricket. I've given myself a three-month window to be in tip-top shape for Major League Cricket. I'm taking it seriously - I'm there to compete and win games. I'm not there just to take part."
There is every expectation Plunkett will leave his mark on Major League Cricket this summer. Justin Geale, Major League Cricket's tournament director, notes, "He's still a great player, and I can tell you he's absolutely steaming in at the moment!"
Major League Cricket is America's first professional franchise tournament, with organisers hoping to establish the T20 game across the pond. An initial $120million has been secured to fund Major League Cricket, while four of the teams have landed investment from the Indian Premier League - cricket's biggest franchise tournament.
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The likes of Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Marsh, Quinton de Kock and Anrich Nortje have already signed up to play in Major League Cricket, with more superstars expected to follow suit.
Liam Plunkett played Minor League Cricket - a feeder tournament for Major League Cricket - last summer (Getty Images)Are you excited to watch Major League Cricket? Let us know in the comments below!
Plunkett, who represented England in Tests, One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20Is will always be remembered for what he achieved during the summer of 2019. The quick featured in seven of England's 11 ODI World Cup games - boasting a 100 per cent individual win rate - and played a vital role in their dramatic final triumph against New Zealand.
Bowling during the middle overs, Plunkett dismissed the likes of Rishabh Pant, Hashim Amla, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson throughout the tournament. His international career concluded after the 2019 World Cup.
Although he still wants to play against the best, Plunkett is determined to bring through the next generation of talent in America. He relocated to the United States with his wife, Emeleah, who is American.
The bowler won the ODI World Cup with England in 2019 (Getty Images)"Let's see how this Major League Cricket goes," says Plunkett when asked about his ambitions as a player. "I want to play a couple of years in the league, I want to see it grow. But also, one of my roles is [being] the national development coach in Major League Cricket.
"I want to keep helping the guys coming through, I want to try and provide high-performance training for them - however that looks like, we're still trying to figure that out.
"I'll play until I'm [still] competing and I feel like I can win games. As soon as I feel I can't contribute to a winning team, then I'll probably step away. But right now, I feel like I'm in a good space. In terms of other competitions, I don't think so... I'll put everything into Major League Cricket. I've played in a few masters’ leagues and that ticks me over, but let's see how this goes.
"Hopefully, I come out and I'm in a good position. If all goes well, you never know where that goes."
Plunkett has also ruled out playing for his new country in the T20 World Cup, which is due to be held in the West Indies and the United States in June 2024. He knows an international call-up for the United States would deny an emerging player the chance to grace the international stage.
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"Major League Cricket is who I work for and who I want to play for, and I think that's the biggest competition here. I just don't see it... just to play for a year. You have people grafting who want to play for the USA.
“I'm at a point now... how good am I? Are the people coming through better than me? So, that's the first question - would I get selected? It's easy for me to say, 'Yeah, I'll play'. But you shouldn't be guaranteed a spot - you should have to work for that spot, not just have a name in cricket.
"I think if I did, I'd come in for that one World Cup and I think that defeats the purpose of developing youth and talent coming through."
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