Ben McKinney: Durham beaten happy to face the hype after the captivating winter
That love was formed for the first time at the Seaham Harbour Cricket Club, where his father Neil was one of the main crickets of the area’s club. McKinney SR also spent hours launching his son in the networks.
“He was relentless and he didn’t let me go,” says McKinney.
“Sometimes it could be bad, but it has certainly created me for the future. It is incredible to have someone who takes care of your success and who improves.”
Despite the promise, there was no contact between McKinney and England, apart from what was able to collect from having Skipper England Stokes at his side in the Durham changing room.
“As I practice it’s something I’ve never seen before,” says McKinney. “It’s so particular and there is always a purpose.”
However, the opportunities offered to McKinney are not a coincidence.
It was chosen to open when the heating opposition was provided to the Western Indies and Sri Lanka last summer and returned tens of 22, 46 and 20.
He also visited Australia with England under 19 in 2023 – another relevant point with a series of ashes that will arrive this winter – and hit 12 Fours in a 45 balls in the victory of England in Brisbane, who suggests following the oven mantra from the beginning.
“It is actually the opposite,” he says. “My father is very old style. I beat 50 over 80.
“I liked to beat the time, but somehow launched a switch, probably at a time.
“There was a period that was probably going too hard, but trying to find that pressure pressure balance and putting it back was the most important thing for my success this winter.”
Those words will probably be a relaxing symphony in the ears of the fans of England.
Their faith in the approach of England falters at the worst possible moment with only a test against the Zimbabwe on 22 May for the five against India and Australia in the seven months that follow.
“I’d like to play all formats, but I go back to being 10 years old and watching Alastair Cook opening the joke,” says McKinney.
“I loved the way he did it. It is not the way that I went down now, but the foundations behind it, I will be happy to keep it like my role -playing model.”
There are no vacant places among the first seven of England, but the bad form of Zak Crawley, the commitments of Jacob Bethell’s Premier League and the possibility of accidents means that nothing can be excluded at this stage.
McKinney will have six matches of the county championship to further push his case before the arrival of the Zimbabwe, starting from a trip to Nottinghamshire on Friday.
