By Marios Papaloizou

England Learning Disabilities cricket team head coach Derek Morgan is adamant Bromley’s Daniel Levey will come up trumps again against Australia despite a crisis of confidence of late.

The Three Lions are set to tackle an Australian side for the first time since 2011 when they travel Down Under for four one-day internationals and two T20s, the first of which gets going on March 17.

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Much has changed since now and then but one constant remains, that of 20-year-old Levey (above) taking his place among Morgan’s 15-man squad.

Last time out England whitewashed Australia 2-0, these games taking place in a Tri-Nations competition held in South Africa, however since then Levey has struggled somewhat with the bat due to numerous injuries.

But Morgan believes his batsman will turn his fortunes around when it matters most, with Bromley Town Cricket Club’s Levey set to make a big impact both on and off the field.

“Dan joined us shortly before the South Africa trip and was a fantastic addition to that group and came in to a middle order batting role,” Morgan said.

“He was a really positive influence on the team as a whole and had a great attitude towards learning.

“He showed a great awareness in being able to raise the tempo of our batting innings when it was required.
“By his own admission he went through a crisis of confidence this summer and had a really tough year dealing with one or two injuries.

“So he was trying to nail down his role within this group now and to his credit he has battled through them and is training exceptionally hard now.

“He is much more relaxed and comfortable about his preparation and approach and he is looking likely to contribute again on this trip.”

And despite four years having passed since England last tested themselves against their Aussie rivals, Morgan is once again dreaming big with Levey’s help.

“They are a fantastic group and it’s just about managing them well,” he added. “The added incentive of it being a traditional rivalry when we go out there in their environment is a fabulous challenge for me as a coach and for the players.

“I’m so excited by it and I think the players are feeling the same emotions and are really up for it.

“We are really confident that we are doing all we can do for our players and giving them the platform to go and play.

“If we do that then we will be very competitive and can make a real impact over there because I think this is the best prepared LD squad we have ever had in place.”

ECB is an inclusive organisation providing support and a pathway for disability cricket from grassroots to elite. Follow the England Learning Disability squad in Australia at ecb.co.uk

To find out how to get involved in Learning Disability cricket contact your local cricket board.

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