After an impressive season for Hampshire in the Vitality Blast, Brad Wheal has earned a deserved call-up to Scotland’s T20 squad for the 2022 World Cup. Scotland will be determined to make it to the Super 12 stage of the competition in Australia and Hampshire seamer Wheal could play a big role in getting the Scots past the first round.
A Big Year For Wheal
There is no doubting it was a season to remember for Wheal and Hampshire as the Hawks managed to beat Lancashire Lightning by one run in the Vitality Blast final back in July. Hampshire’s Liam Dawson also played an important role in the competition which has seen the 32-year-old named as a player on the standby list for England’s T20 World Cup squad. The Three Lions have a formidable squad heading into the tournament and it’s why they are amongst the favourites with Bet Target to go all the way in the major competition on Australian soil.
At one stage it looked like Wheal could have played for England but instead, the prolific bowler decided to give his allegiance to his mother’s country of birth. Making his debut back in 2016, the 26-year-old has gone on to make 14 T20 appearances for his country ahead of Scotland’s World Cup warm-up games against the Netherlands and the UAE.
With 22 wickets in 13 matches for Hampshire in this year’s Vitality Blast, Wheal managed to finish in the fifth spot on the top wicket-takers standings. His efforts at the Ageas Bowl clearly did not go unnoticed north of the border and he deservedly earned a place in the 15-man squad by head coach Shane Burger.
Scots Hoping To Learn From 2021
Scotland did their business at the last World Cup in 2021 to reach the Super 12s for the competition in the UAE and Oman. Wheal was part of the sides that secured wins over Bangladesh, and Papua New Guinea and hosts Oman to top Group B. However, the World Cup was to end in disappointment for the Hampshire star and the rest of the squad as they lost all five of their games in Group 2 of the Super 12s.
While it would have been some achievement to beat the likes of India, Pakistan or New Zealand, the Scots would have hoped to have fared better against Afghanistan and Namibia. Still, it was an experience of major tournament cricket that Wheal and the rest of the Scotland squad will be looking to learn from ahead of their trip to Australia. The Scots are in a first-round group alongside Ireland, West Indies and Zimbabwe. A win in Scotland’s opening game against the Windies in Hobart would give Wheal’s side a great chance of reaching the Super 12 stage once again.
While Hampshire fans will be hoping Dawson gets an opportunity with England at the World Cup, there will be plenty of interest from the county in Wheal’s efforts, even if it is with rivals Scotland.
