Late arrival wants to start England party

JADE DERNBACH’S 25th birthday will surely be his happiest yet if he can take his unexpected shot at World Cup glory with England.

Uncapped Dernbach has flown halfway round the world in the past few days to replace the injured Ajmal Shahzad in a squad preparing to face co-hosts Sri Lanka in Saturday’s quarter-final in Colombo.

Exactly a week later, and on the eve of the Surrey seamer’s quarter-century, Andrew Strauss’ team could yet be involved in the Mumbai final of a competition England have never won in nine previous attempts.

South Africa-born Dernbach appears to have come from nowhere — actually it is from an England Lions tour in the West Indies — to be in with a chance of making his international debut in such high-profile circumstances.

In the absence of injured first choice bowlers Shahzad and Stuart Broad, and with James Anderson and Chris Tremlett struggling for form, he is no forlorn hope to be partnering Tim Bresnan in England’s seam contingent at the Premadasa Stadium this weekend.

As he prepared for his first training session yesterday, Dernbach was still coming to terms with the unlikely turn of events.

“I’ve not really had time for it to sink in,” he said. “But it’s absolutely wonderful.”

He is vowing to bring with him a fresh energy, as well as plenty of slower-ball variations, if he gets his chance. “It will be the same as I approach any preparation for a game,” he added. “You’ve got to expect to play at any opportunity.

“I want to make sure all my preparation has been top-drawer, and I’m ready to step in and do a great job for my country.

“I’ve got a lot to offer, a lot of variations, and I’ve got a bit of pace. I enjoy bowling at the death.

“They are all important areas in one-day cricket. So if I get the opportunity I hope I can bring them to the quarter-final.”

His South Africa roots are shared by a clutch of his new colleagues. But like Strauss and wicketkeeper Matt Prior, Dernbach learned his profession in England.

“I didn’t play any cricket at all really in South Africa,” he said.

“I moved over when I was 14, so all my cricket has been played in England. That’s where I call home, and the place that has given me the opportunity to come and play here.

“I was more of a rugby player, to be honest. Cricket sort of happened by chance.”

Pakistan get the knockout phase under way this morning when they take on the West Indies in Dhaka (Sky Sports 1, 8am).

India tackle Australia tomorrow while New Zealand face World Cup favourites South Africa on Friday in the other quarter-final match-up.